Food and Drug Administration pesticide program. Residues in foods-1988

Abstract

A total of 18,114 samples of domestically produced food from all 50 states and Puerto Rico and imported food from 89 countries were analyzed for pesticide residues in 1988. This compares with 14,492 samples in 1987, with imports from 79 countries. No residues were found in over 60% of the samples, compared to 57% in 1987. Less than 1% of the 18,114 samples contained residues that exceeded the tolerances set by EPA. These findings, together with those from the Total Diet Study and the 1987 report, continue to demonstrate that dietary intakes of pesticide residues are well below standards set by FAO/WHO. FDA pesticide monitoring concerned with imported foods was given increased emphasis in 1988. Automatic detention was invoked based on the finding of one violative sample of an imported commodity. A project was begun to obtain pesticide use data directly from a number of foreign countries that export foods to the United States.