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This was the 24th year that the USDA has been conducted this survey for pesticide
residues having started in 1991
Before allowing a pesticide to be used on a food commodity, EPA sets limits on how much
of a pesticide may be used on food during growing, processing, and storage, and how
much can remain on the food that reaches the consumer. Government inspectors monitor
food in interstate commerce to ensure that these limits are not exceeded. EPA also sets
standards to protect workers from exposure to pesticides on the job.
In 2014 thus USDA collected 10,619 samples. 80.8% fruit and vegetables, 9.9% infant
formula, 3.3% Salmon, 3% Oats, 3% Rice
75.7% of the samples were domestic, 22.9% imported, 0.7% of mixed origin, and 0.9% of
unknown origin
Because PDP data are mainly used for risk assessments, PDP laboratory methods are
geared to detect the lowest possible levels of pesticide residues, even when those levels
are well below the tolerances established by EPA. Prior to testing, PDP analysts washed
samples for 15-20 seconds with gently running cold water as a consumer would do; no
chemicals, soap, or any special wash was used. Results for more than 2 million analyses
were reported by the laboratories in 2014 and are too numerous to be included in their
entirety in this summary.
Samples Commodity
Samples
Apples
177
Tomatoes
177
Bananas
179
Watermelon
390
Blueberries
688
Frozen Blueberries
Broccoli
712
Frozen Cherries
282
Carrots
708
Grape Juice
531
Celery
708
378
Cherries
228
378
Green Beans
757
Nectarines
681
Oats
314
Peaches
707
Rice
314
Strawberries
176
528
Summer Squash
531
527
Sweet corn
134
Salmon
354
19
41
Summary of Findings
For 41% of the food samples there were no detectable pesticide residues at all
For the samples where residues were detected, 99.6% of those residues at levels below, or well below
conservative tolerances (or MRLs maximum residues levels allowed) meaning they were of not health
concern. In fact 84% of detections were less than one tenth of tolerance with many 1/100th or 1/1000th of
tolerance
Of all the detections, only 0.36% of the exceeded tolerances (only 38 of 10,260 samples). Most of the
above tolerance detections were between 1 and 5 times tolerance, only 10 were significantly above the
tolerance
There were 281 samples (2.6% of the total) with detections of pesticides for which there was not a
tolerance for that crop.
138 of those samples were domestic, 140 were imported and 3 were from unknown sources
The pesticides detected almost all have tolerances set for other crops at levels suggesting that
these residues are not of serious concern
For the detections without a tolerance for the sampled crop, in most cases the residue found was lower
than the lowest tolerance on any other crop and therefore of little concern
There was only one no tolerance for that crop detection that was slightly higher than the highest
tolerance on other crops (Strawberry from Mexico, Fenazaquin).
There were 18 detections of chemicals for which there are no tolerance for any crop many are
persistant environmental pollutants from long-banded materials. Most of these detections were at very
low levels with the exception of one 0.46ppm detection of monocrotophos in one squash sample from
Mexico
Above tolerance and No tolerance for that crop detections were relatively more common with imported
samples
As in other studies, pesticide residues were detected in organic samples including 39 synthetic
pesticides. These were at very low levels, but the same crop/chemical combinations for conventional
were at similarly low levels
2
3,742
132
181
Exceeds tolerance
Below quantifiable
level
16.35%
Number of
Detections
18,793
38
No tolerance on
that crop but below
quantifiable level
0.58%
Exempt from
tolerance
0.01%
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.215
0.20
0.000
0.002
<.001
Exempt
0.012
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.017
0.10
0.004
0.80
0.00
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
Nectarine
Grape Juice
Below
Tolerance
Frozen
Cherries
Cherries
Blueberries,
Frozen
Blueberries,
Fresh
Bananas
Apples
All
Commodities
0%
20%
40%
60%
Percent of All Detections In That Crop
80%
100%
1.126
No real
No
riskreal
risk
1.20
Possible minor
Possible
minor
risk
risk
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.232
0.20
0.000
0.005
<.001
Exempt
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 100%
3.81 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
1.40
1.294
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.50
0.378
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.056
0.000
0.000
<.001
Exempt
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 99.5%
1.5 Detections/Sample
0.006
0.00
0.70
0.648
Possible minor
risk
1.20
1.00
0.842
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.251
0.20
0.000
0.003
<.001
Exempt
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.022
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 99.0%
3.13 Detections/Sample
0.003
0.00
1.40
1.283
Possible minor
risk
0.06
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.025
0.02
0.007
0.000
0.000
<.001
Exempt
0.01
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 100%
0.13 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
0.07
0.065
No real
risk
2.00
Possible minor
risk
1.430
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.338
0.000
0.002
<.001
Exempt
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.009
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 99.8%
5.25 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
2.50
1.926
Possible minor
risk
2.00
1.582
1.50
1.00
0.472
0.000
0.004
<.001
Exempt
0.50
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 100%
5.4 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
2.50
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.000
0.002
<.001
Exempt
0.010
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
0.000
1 to 0.1
0.000
0.002
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 99.2%
0.48 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
0.220
1.40
Possible minor
risk
1.20
1.00
0.816
0.80
0.573
0.60
0.40
0.097
0.000
0.002
<.001
Exempt
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.044
4.96 Detections/Sample
0.001
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 95.3%
0.20
0.00
1.60
1.495
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
1.40
1.20
1.006
1.00
0.772
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.000
0.001
Exempt
<.001
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
0.000
1 to 0.1
0.035
4.15 Detections/Sample
0.016
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 98.5%
0.20
0.00
1.60
Possible minor
risk
2.50
2.00
1.50
0.960
1.00
0.50
0.000
0.004
<.001
Exempt
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.068
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 98.5%
8.32 Detections/Sample
0.028
0.00
2.636
3.00
2.765
Far Below
Tolerance
Below
Tolerance
Celery
Carrots
Broccoli
All
Commodities
0%
20%
40%
60%
Percent of All Detections In That Crop
80%
100%
No real
risk
0.25
Possible minor
risk
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.086
0.05
0.000
0.000
<.001
Exempt
0.014
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
0.011
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 96.3%
1.64 Detections/Sample
0.003
0.00
0.270
0.60
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.107
0.10
0.003
0.001
<.001
Exempt
0.031
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.006
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 97.4%
1.84 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
0.70
0.653
No real
risk
1.60
Possible minor
risk
1.40
1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.283
0.169
0.000
0.006
<.001
Exempt
0.025
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.024
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 97.8%
5.22 Detections/Sample
0.20
0.000
0.00
1.80
0.552
No real
risk
0.60
Possible minor
risk
0.50
0.40
0.276
0.30
0.20
0.046
0.000
0.001
<.001
Exempt
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
1.82 Detections/Sample
0.016
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 95.8%
0.10
0.00
0.70
0.70
Possible minor
risk
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.185
0.20
0.10
0.000
0.002
<.001
Exempt
0.005
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.008
0.005
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 98.6%
1.95 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
0.80
0.733
0.592
No real
risk
0.70
Possible minor
risk
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.000
0.002
<.001
Exempt
0.016
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.019
0.10
0.005
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 98.3%
2.35 Detections/Sample
0.000
0.00
0.80
0.754
No real
risk
No Issues: 97.6%
1.09 Detections/Sample
Possible minor
risk
*
*
0.007
No real
risk
0.01
Possible minor
risk
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.000
0.000
0.000
<.001
0.01 to
0.001
Exempt
0.000
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
0.000
0.007
0.00
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 100%
0.01 Detections/Sample
0.03
0.024
0.03
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
<.001
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
Exempt
0.000
1 to 0.1
0.000
0.000
0.00
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 100%
0.02 Detections/Sample
No real
risk
1.819
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
1.60
1.40
1.20
0.974
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.237
0.000
0.002
Exempt
<.001
0.090
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
0.090
5.59 Detections/Sample
0.20
0.00
1 to 0.1
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 93.9%
0.017
1.80
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.176
0.15
0.10
0.000
0.000
<.001
Exempt
0.018
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.05
0.000
0.003
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 99.0%
0.69 Detections/Sample
0.003
0.00
0.35
Possible minor
risk
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.000
Exempt
<.001
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.01 to
0.001
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.00
0.000
0.00
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
*
0.013 Detections/Sample
No Issues: 100%
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.000
Exempt
<.001
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.01 to
0.001
0.000
0.000
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
*
0.003 Detections/Sample
No Issues: 100%
0.000
0.00
0.00
0.003
0.073
No real
risk
Possible minor
risk
0.06
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.019
0.000
0.000
<.001
Exempt
0.02
0.000
0.01 to
0.001
0.1 to
0.01
1 to 0.1
0.000
0.003
0.14 Detections/Sample
0.000
BQV No
No
>
Tolerance Tolerance Tolerance
No Issues: 96.7%
0.01
0.00
0.07
Summary of Findings
Most of the above tolerance detections were between 1 and 5 times tolerance, only 10 were
significantly above the tolerance
For the detections without a tolerance for the sampled crop, in most cases the residue found was
lower than the lowest tolerance on any other crop and therefore of little concern
There was only one no tolerance for that crop detection that was slightly higher than the highest
tolerance on other crops (Strawberry from Mexico, Fenazaquin). There were 18 detections of
chemicals for which there are no crop tolerances many are persistant environmental pollutants
from long-banded materials. Most of these detections were at very low levels with the exception
of a 0.46ppm detection of monocrotophos in one squash sample from Mexico
Above tolerance and No tolerance for that crop detections were relatively more common with
imported samples
As in other studies, pesticide residues were detected in organic samples including 39 synthetic
pesticides. These were at very low levels, but the same crop/chemical combinations for
conventional were at similarly low levels
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
Most of the above tolerance detections were between 1 and 5 times tolerance,
only 10 were significantly above the tolerance
Detections 1-2x
tolerance
Detections 5-10x
tolerance
1 green beans US
(1.1x)
3 strawberries Mexico (1.04x, 1.4x,
1.98x)
1 watermelon US
(4.2x)
2 strawberries - the
US (2.4x, 3.2x)
1 green beans Mexico, 7.1x tolerance
1 peach US (1.3x)
1 broccoli - Mexico
(1.3x)
1 broccoli - US (1.4x)
3 green beans - US
(1.05x,1.2x,1.3x)
3 green beans-US
(6.9x, 7.4x, 9x)
1 peach - US (1.3x)
1 Zucchini - US
(1.6x)
1 bannana - Costa
Rica (1.1x)
6 peach - Chile (4 at
1.2x;1.5x,1.6x), 1
nectarine - Chile
(1.5x)
2 tomato - Mexico
(1.32x, 1.28x)
1 tomato - Mexico
(3x)
Total
22
Heptachlor (insecticide)
Pyrimethanil (fungicide)
Tebuconazole
(fungicide)
Detections
>10x tolerance
2 peach - Chile
(2.2x, 2.3x)
4 green beans - US
(11x, 14x, 16x, 16x)
Carbendazim (MBC)
Chlorothalonil
DCPA
Dichlobenil
Difenoconazole
Dimethoate
Dimethomorph
Diphenylamine (DPA)
Disulfoton sulfone
Fenazaquin
Fenbuconazole
Fenpropathrin
Flonicamid
Fluopicolide
Imazalil
Iprodione
Methomyl
There was only one no tolerance for that crop detection that was slightly higher than
the highest tolerance on other crops (Strawberry from Mexico, Fenazaquin). There
were 18 detections of chemicals for which there are no crop tolerances many are
persistant environmental pollutants from long-banded materials. Most of these
detections were at very low levels with the exception of a 0.46ppm detection of
monocrotophos in one squash sample from Mexico
Organic
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
Methoxyfenozide (strawberries)
Monocrotophos (cherries)
Myclobutanil (celery, summer squash)
Oxamyl (summer squash)
Pendimethalin (celery)
Permethrin metabolites (celery)
Piperonyl butoxide (peaches, rice)
Propaconazide (peaches)
Propargite (cherries)
Pentachloroaniline (carrots)
Pyraclostrobin (blueberries, peaches)
Pyrimethanil (cherries, peaches)
Pyriproxyfen (green beans)
Spinosad (apples, blueberries, broccoli, celery,
cherries, nectarines, strawberries, summer
squash, tomatoes)
Thiabendazole (apples, nectarines, peaches)
Thiamethoxam (celery)
THPI (strawberries)
39.
40.
41.