Missing the mark -- new methods needed to detect and address high-risk pesticide residues in the global food supply

Abstract

The primary metric used by regulators to track whether pesticide residues in food pose worrisome risks is the percent of samples tested in a given year that contain residues above applicable tolerances in the US and Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in most other countries. The Dietary Risk Index (DRI) system is used to determine the degree to which current policies governing allowed pesticide residue levels in food are keeping high-risk residues out of the global food supply. Residue data generated by the US Pesticide Data Program (PDP) and UK-Food Standards Agency (FSA) are utilized. Over the last 10 years 2449 samples of food have contained violative residues over applicable tolerances or MRLs. Of these, about 60% posed low or very-low dietary risks relative to acceptable dietary intake levels set by regulators. Conversely, only about 4% of high- and very-high risk samples tested by the US-PDP contained residues above the applicable tolerance. Accordingly, current US and UK policies are failing to flag most high-risk samples and are triggering more intense scrutiny and/or adverse regulatory actions in the case of many samples posing low or very-low risks. Recommendations are offered to enhance the ability to track and incrementally reduce pesticide dietary risks.