FDA’s Pesticide Analysis Finds Most Foods Tested Below EPA Tolerance Levels
Today FDA released the results of its yearly report on pesticide residues, and the good news is that of the 6504 samples taken, most of them were below EPA tolerance levels. As part of the Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program for FY 2017, FDA tested for 761 pesticides and industrial chemicals in domestic and imported foods for animals and humans. The following are some highlights of the FDA’s findings:
- Percentage of foods compliant with federal standards
- 96.2% of domestic human foods
- 89.6% of imported human foods
- 98.8% domestic animal foods
- 94.4% imported animal foods
- Percentage of food samples without pesticide residues
- Milk and game meat: 100%
- Shell egg: 87.5%
- Honey: 77.3%
- Percentage of food samples without glyphosate or glufosinate residues
- Milk and eggs: 100%
- Corn: 82.1%
- Soybeans: 60%
“Ensuring the safety of the American food supply is a critical part of the work of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Our annual efforts to test both human and animal foods for pesticide residues in foods is important as we work to limit exposure to any pesticide residues that may be unsafe,” said Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of FDA’s CFSAN, in an agency release. “We will continue to do this important monitoring work, taking action when appropriate, to help ensure our food supply remains among the safest in the world.”