## 1 Introduction  
Current agricultural practices rely heavily on various chemical plant protection products (PPP) with their two main side effects on public health and the environment. Active substances from standalone chemicals or mixtures may have severe impacts on human health such as carcinogenic, reprotoxic, immunosuppressive and endocrine-disrupting effects [1, 2]. To mitigate the potential adverse health effects of pesticide residues, regulatory agencies set critical limits, also known as maximum residue levels (MRLs) applicable to various agricultural commodities [3]. In the European Union (EU), Regulation 1107/2009/EC defines cut-off criteria for potential effects of active substances (AS) on health (mutagens, carcinogens, reproductive and endocrine disruptors) and the environment (persistent organic pollutants and persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances) [4]. In parallel, there are several initiatives, such as the European Green Deal, which supports sustainable food systems as part of its farm-to-fork strategy [5]. This strategy supports the reduction in dependence on pesticides and excessive fertilization and promotes organic farming [6]. There is limited organic production in Serbia. The World Health Organization has introduced a \"One Health\" approach as an \"integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems\", including humans, animals, plants and the entire environment and its intertwining [7]. This concept has the potential to promote practices that optimize plant health protection [8], paving the road to sustainable food production in line with UN Sustainable development goals and ensuring food security [9; 10]. Some retailers in the EU have the strictest demands in terms of MRL (between 33 and 70% of the prescribed EU limits) for the sale of their commodities in Central Europe (Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium), as well as in the UK and Switzerland [11] under the condition of certified good agricultural practices. In recent years, another concept related to PPP use has emerged. It is known as the \"zero residue\" concept, where residual pesticide levels are undetectable with analytical tools [12]. In contrast to the legal MRLs, the detection limit for most PPPs is usually \(\leq\)0.01 mg/kg [13], or in the case of higher analytical sensitivity, the levels can be even lower or more stringent [14]. To achieve this goal, food standards have been developed to promote the limited use of pesticides, such as the Pesticide Free Certification standard [13] and Zero/Controlled Pesticide Residue [12], which combines good agricultural practice auditing and laboratory testing of agricultural products. This approach is considered to add value to the primary sector, as the absence/reduced presence of PPP residues in food products should improve the environmental footprint and minimize health impacts [14]. The awareness of the health effects of pesticides in the EU has led the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to develop methods for calculating and analyzing the cumulative effects of multiple chemicals derived from pesticide residues [15]. Based on recent scientific evidence that pesticides can affect the thyroid gland through hypothyroidism ('health effect #1') and through hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and neoplasia of paraformaldehyde cells (C cells) ('health effect #2'), the EFSA has identified specific assessment groups of pesticides and proposed a methodology to calculate their health effects [16]. To validate its methodology, the EFSA conducted a cumulative dietary risk characterization of these pesticides associated with the thyroid [17]. Young adulthood is considered a special developmental period when the health and well-being of the young population is a high priority [18]. In accordance with the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescents are considered to be between 10 and 19 years old, while young adults are between 20 and 24 years old [19].