Radish Leaves in Smoothies and Salad – How Does the 2025 Season Look?

Leonie Moser and Dr. Anne Benkenstein

 

As part of a special project in the spring of 2024, we investigated pesticide residues in radishes and their leaves (see Internet report "Radish Leaves in a Smoothie or Salad - Always a Good Idea?") [1]. One year later we've taken the new harvest season of 2025 as an opportunity to evaluate the residue situation anew. Are there any changes in the quantities? Are there new regulatory or analytical insights?

 

New legal classification: radish leaves ⇒ arugula

Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 designates maximum residue levels (MRL) for pesticides in foods. To date, the MRL for radishes was only valid for the edible part – the root – after having removed the leaves and any remaining dirt. That the leaves are also being consumed is a new development. [2].

Classification of the leaves has long been discussed. At first they were likened to kale. However, this classification was reconsidered EU-wide at the end of 2024. Since January 2025 radish leaves are now legally categorized as being similar to arugula – both are cruciferous plants and are consumed raw, and both have large leafy surface areas [2].

 

Our Analytical Results

In the spring of 2025, 15 samples of conventionally grown radishes were analyzed at CVUA Stuttgart. The roots and leaves were examined separately and analyzed for over 750 substances and contaminants. The country of origin was indicated for 14 samples: 8 were from Germany and 6 from Italy.

 

Additional findings from the 2025 season are as follows:

The residue levels detected in the leaves were significantly higher than in the roots.

• The total average quantity of pesticide residues detected in the leaves was approximately 15 times higher than in the roots (comparisons shown in Table 1).
• An average of 7.4 different substances per sample was found in the leaves – double the amount detected in the roots (3.7 substances).

 

* Chlormequat (max level exceeded, but not statistically verified; advisory report submitted)
** Higher level due to evidence of perchlorate (contaminant); see explanation in text

 

Evaluation of Findings

One sample exceeded the maximum level for radishes (roots) for the substance chlormequat. This exceedance was within the margin of error, however, so only the responsible parties were informed. The leaves from this sample were inconspicuous.

 

For the radish leaves, all legal maximum levels were adhered to. As expected, the residues in organically grown samples were found only in trace amounts (< 0.01 mg/kg). To provide a better comparison, results of organic radish analyses from 2020 were included.

 

The relatively higher average amount of residue found in organic radish leaves is due to the detection of perchlorate. This substance does not normally stem from pesticide substances, however, but rather from water used in irrigation, washing, or existent in the soil (see below).

 

Illustration 1: Average Quantity of Residue, in mg/kg (Radishes vs. Radish Leaves, 2024 & 2025)

 

Illustration 1 presents a comparison of average pesticide residue quantities in radishes and radish leaves between 2024 and 2025. The average amount detected in the leaves is 14 times (2024) or 15 times (2025) higher than in the roots. This is due, among others, to the large surface area of the leaves.

 

Illustration 2 shows a comparison of the total amount of pesticides in the individual samples of radish leaves for both years. A wide discrepancy between samples is clearly seen here. While some samples contain levels well under 1 mg/kg, one sample in particular contained as much as 9 mg/kg of pesticide residues.

 

Illustration 2: Quantities of Pesticide Residues per Sample (Leaves, 2024 & 2025)

 

Radish leaves were detected with an average of 7.4 substances per sample, while the radishes contained just 3.7 (see Table 1). Table 2 lists the most frequently detected substances, also clearly showing the higher rates among the leaves.

 

 

In radish cultivation the most commonly employed substances are fungicides. From this group, the most frequently used for radishes and their leaves are fludioxonil, azoxystrobin, mandipropamid, boscalid and dimethomorph. The insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin is also a frequently applied plant protector. Perchlorate is considered to be a contaminant, because it mainly comes from water used in irrigation or washing and/or from the soil.

 

Conclusion

All of the radishes from conventional cultivation contained multiple pesticides, and the total residue amounts in the leaves were significantly higher than in the roots. Nevertheless, all cases were in compliance with the legal limit values (as of 2025).

Consumers that want to avoid ingesting plant protector substances as much as possible should prioritize organically cultivated or home grown when eating radish leaves.

 

Photo Credit

Radish photos: Anne Benkenstein

 

References

[1] Internetbeitrag „Radieschenblätter im Smoothie oder Salat – immer eine gute Idee?“, Leonie Moser und Dr. Anne Benkenstein, published on 23.09.2024.

[2] Verordnung (EU) 2024\3196 vom 18. Dezember 2024 zur Änderung von Anhang I der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 396/2005 des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates in Bezug auf Rettichblätter

 

Translator

Catherine Leiblein

 

 

Report published on 22.04.2026