Distribution, variability, and dietary risk assessment of etoxazole residues in apples and apple juice

Etoxazole, while preventing pest mites on apple trees, leaves some residues in the produce, triggering consumer concerns. Here, the study investigated the distribution of etoxazole in apples after application and the change pattern of residue during apple juice processing. An analytical method for the determination of etoxazole was established to meet the requirements of residue analysis, with accuracy ranging from 80 to 95% and precision from 1.3 to 7.8% and linearity with R² > 0.9975. Changes in residue levels of etoxazole in apples were tested in 12 regions of China, and the results indicated that the residues in apples gradually decreased, with a dissipation half-life of 8.0–12.6 days. The final residues in apples harvested 28 and 35 days after application were below 0.08 mg/kg, which was below the maximum residue limits (0.1 mg/kg). The percentages of etoxazole in pulp, core, and peel were 45%, 37%, and 18%, respectively, whereas the pesticide was mainly enriched in the pomace after juicing. During apple juice processing, the best pesticide removal was achieved by juicing, with a removal rate of 72% and a processing factor of 0.11. After a series of apple juice processing steps, the residual pesticides were effectively removed with a total processing factor of 0.04. The dietary exposure risk index for etoxazole in apples harvested after 28 days was below 100%, indicating an acceptable risk level, with the highest risk index observed in young children. Moreover, the introduction of processing actions reduced the risk of dietary exposure to pesticides in processed products.