8 - Pesticide Residue in Foods

Abstract

This chapter discusses the pesticides residue in foods. Pesticide residue monitoring and regulation are handled by three government organizations: the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The US EPA registers pesticides, sets pesticide Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for raw, unprocessed commodities, and researches environmental fate of residues. The incidence of pesticide contamination of uncooked food in the United States is largely monitored by the USDA's Pesticide Data Program (PDP). The FDA enforces EPA pesticide tolerance levels in foods (except in meat and poultry), and monitors pesticide residues in national and international foods in domestic markets. Unlike the PDP, which washes commodities to be sampled (to emulate grocery store conditions), the FDA's Pesticide Monitoring Program primarily examines raw, unwashed, and unpeeled agricultural product.