diff --git a/machine_learning/apriori_algorithm.py b/machine_learning/apriori_algorithm.py
index 09a89ac236bd..71b7e0c0a5f1 100644
--- a/machine_learning/apriori_algorithm.py
+++ b/machine_learning/apriori_algorithm.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 Examples: https://www.kaggle.com/code/earthian/apriori-association-rules-mining
 """
 
+from collections import Counter
 from itertools import combinations
 
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ def prune(itemset: list, candidates: list, length: int) -> list:
     the frequent itemsets of the previous iteration (valid subsequences of the frequent
     itemsets from the previous iteration).
 
-    Prunes candidate itemsets that are not frequent.
+    Prunes candidate itemsets that are not frequent using Counter for optimization.
 
     >>> itemset = ['X', 'Y', 'Z']
     >>> candidates = [['X', 'Y'], ['X', 'Z'], ['Y', 'Z']]
@@ -44,11 +45,14 @@ def prune(itemset: list, candidates: list, length: int) -> list:
     >>> prune(itemset, candidates, 3)
     []
     """
+    itemset_counter = Counter(tuple(x) for x in itemset)
     pruned = []
+
     for candidate in candidates:
         is_subsequence = True
         for item in candidate:
-            if item not in itemset or itemset.count(item) < length - 1:
+            tupla = tuple(item)
+            if tupla not in itemset_counter or itemset_counter[tupla] < length - 1:
                 is_subsequence = False
                 break
         if is_subsequence: