Pesticides
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for enforcing tolerances established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for amounts of pesticide residues that may legally remain on food (including animal feed). FDA manages that task through multiple programs and strategies. In its regulatory pesticide residue monitoring program, FDA selectively tests a broad range of imported and domestic commodities for approximately 800 pesticide residues. FDA also conducts focused sampling surveys for specific commodities or selected pesticide chemical residues of special interest. Additionally, in the Total Diet Study (TDS), FDA monitors the levels of pesticide chemical residues in foods that have been prepared for consumption and represent the average U.S. diet.
Residue Monitoring
- Compliance Program: Pesticides and Industrial Chemicals in Domestic and Imported Foods (CP 7304.004)
- Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Reports and Data
- Total Diet Study
- Questions and Answers on the Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program
- Questions and Answers on Glyphosate
Technical References
Recent Scientific Publications
- US Food and Drug Administration Regulatory Pesticide Residue Monitoring of Human Foods: 2009-2017 in Food Addit. Contam. Part A, 2021, 38:9, 1520-1538
Other Government Sources of Information
Guidance
- Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Channels of Trade Policy for Human Food Commodities with Chlorpyrifos Residues
- Guidance for Industry: Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities With Residues of Pesticide Chemicals, for Which Tolerances Have Been Revoked, Suspended, or Modified by the Environmental Protection Agency - Final Guidance
- Guidance for Industry: Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities with Methyl Parathion Residues - Final Guidance
- Guidance for Industry: Channels of Trade Policy for Commodities with Vinclozolin Residues - Final Guidance
- All Chemical Contaminants, Metals, Natural Toxins, and Pesticides Guidance