California Testing Finds Little or No Pesticide Residues on Most Fruits and Vegetables in 2015

Jan 4, 2017

Out of 3,600 samples of 145 fresh fruits and vegetables tested in California in 2015, just 43 had pesticide residue over legal limits, and 113 contained residue of a pesticide not approved for that commodity. Pesticide residue limits are set based on legal use of the product and violations are generally not health concerns.?

The tests were conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, which for three decades has been conducting one of the most comprehensive pesticide monitoring programs in the country.

Other highlights from the just-released results:

39.8% (1,434 of 3,600 samples) had no pesticide residues detected.
55.8% (2,010 of 3,600 samples) had one or more detected pesticide residue less than or equal to established tolerances.

As in recent years, the majority of these samples had residues at less, usually much less, than 10% of the tolerance level.

The department also tested 170 fruits or vegetables labeled organic and 85.3% had no detectable pesticide residue, 11.8% had residues acceptable under organic regulations, 2.4% had residues acceptable in conventionally grown produce but not organic, and 0.6% had unacceptable residues.

Certain products from China and Mexico had the highest level of illegal pesticide residues detected.