Patulin levels in pear, peach and apricot juices sold in Italy
What it found
Pear juices had the highest rate of patulin contamination among 125 fruit juice samples bought in Italian shops.
Estimated daily intake from these juices was far below the international limit.
What they found
Patulin in pear juice
Out of all the pear juices tested, 64.1% contained patulin. The average level in pear juices was 5.1 µg kg-1, which was higher than in peach or apricot juices.
All samples below adult limit
No sample went over 50 µg kg-1, the European limit for fruit juices. However, 19 samples had more than 10 µg kg-1, which is the limit set for baby food.
Organic versus conventional juices
Conventional juices had patulin in 35.7% of samples, while organic juices had it in 29.6%. The average amounts were similar at 3.6 µg kg-1 and 3.3 µg kg-1.
Estimated daily intake
For people who drink these juices, the estimated daily patulin intake ranged from 0.3 to 5.1 ng kg-1 body weight. Pear juice drinkers had the highest estimated intake. All estimates were far below the international daily limit of 400 ng kg-1 body weight.
Pure juice had no patulin
In the 5 samples that contained 100% fruit, patulin was not found. Fruit nectars and fruit drinks with lower fruit content did contain it.
What the authors conclude
- They say the overall patulin levels in these juices were generally low, as none passed the European limit for adults.
- They note that pear juices showed enough contamination to suggest they should be checked regularly for patulin.
- They advise this monitoring especially in countries like Italy where pear drinks are popular.
How it was done
Patulin is a substance made by mould that can damage the gut and breathing system in animal studies. Most research focuses on apple juice, but pears, peaches and apricots are popular drinks in Italy, especially for children.
The researchers bought 125 pear, peach, apricot and mixed fruit juices from supermarkets and organic shops in north-western Italy between January and September 2007. They tested each sample for patulin using lab equipment. They compared results by fruit type, farming method, product style and country of origin.
What it can’t tell you
- This work measured what was in shop-bought juices, so it cannot show how drinking them affects health.
- The intake numbers are estimates based on average drinking habits, not measurements taken from actual people over time.
The paper
- Title
- Occurrence of patulin and its dietary intake through pear, peach, and apricot juices in Italy
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Spadaro D, Garibaldi A, Gullino ML (2008). Occurrence of patulin and its dietary intake through pear, peach, and apricot juices in Italy. Food additives & contaminants. Part B, Surveillance. doi:10.1080/02652030802363790Free full textPubMed 24784810DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error