When pesticide residues are found on foods, they are nearly always at levels below the tolerance or maximum amount of a pesticide allowed to remain in or on a food, which is set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is the conclusion of the Pesticide Data Program's (PDP's) 32d Annual Summary.
More than 99 percent of the products sampled through PDP had residues below the established EPA tolerances. "Ultimately, if EPA determines a pesticide use is not safe for human consumption, EPA will mitigate exposure to the pesticide through actions such as amending the pesticide label instructions, changing or revoking a pesticide residue tolerance, or not registering a new use" the report writes.
The PDP tests a wide variety of domestic and imported foods, with a strong focus on foods that are consumed by infants and children. EPA relies on PDP data to conduct dietary risk assessments and to review the maximum amount of a pesticide allowed to remain in or on a food. USDA uses the data to better understand the relationship of pesticide residues with agricultural practices and to implement USDA's integrated pest management objectives. USDA also works with U.S. growers to improve agricultural practices and to facilitate the adoption of integrated pest management techniques, including judicious use of pesticides, throughout the food supply chain.
Import products
For commodities like grapes and watermelon, available from both domestic and imported sources, the residue profiles vary significantly. The comparison of selected residues in imported versus domestic grapes and tomatoes, where residues are present in over 5% of total samples, shows distinct differences. Pesticides like acetamiprid, azoxystrobin, difenconazole, and pyrimethanil were more frequently detected in imported grapes, while buprofezin, cyflufenamid, methoxyfenozide, pydiflumetofen, pyraclostrobin, and tetraconazole were more common in domestic samples.
Similarly, for tomatoes, compounds like azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorfenapyr, clothianidin, flonicamid, flupyradifurone, and spriomesifen were more frequently detected in imported samples. On the other hand, bifenthrin, dinotefuran, flutriafol, fluxapyroxad, and pydiflumetofen were more common in domestic tomatoes.
Despite differences in residue profiles, all pesticides detected in both domestic and imported commodities were within established tolerances in the United States. The variations in residue findings are attributed to differences in pest pressures, registered pesticides, and crop production practices between countries. The report emphasizes that, although differences exist, the vast majority of domestic and imported samples did not exceed EPA-established tolerances.