Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that can kill certain weeds and grasses. Glyphosate works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth. The product is used primarily in agriculture, but also in forestry and lawn and garden care.
What's the FDA's role in regulating glyphosate and pesticides in general?
Certain trace amounts of pesticides, or pesticide chemical residues, may remain in or on some crops after they’re harvested. The FDA’s role is to ensure that pesticide chemical residues on or in domestic and imported foods do not exceed the limits established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) role in regulating pesticides in general and glyphosate in particular?
EPA evaluates pesticides to ensure that they are safe for human health and the environment when used according to label directions. EPA is responsible for issuing regulations establishing, modifying, suspending, or revoking tolerances, which are limits on the amount of a pesticide chemical residue a food can contain. Tolerances are set at levels that provide a reasonable certainty of no harm. For more information about the safety and use of glyphosate, see EPA’s website Glyphosate - Ingredients Used in Pesticide Products.
Has the EPA established tolerances for safe use of glyphosate?
EPA has established tolerances for glyphosate on a wide range of human and animal food crops, including corn, soybean, oil seeds, grains, and some fruits and vegetables, ranging from 0.1 to 400 parts per million (ppm).
Are there any safety concerns about exposure to glyphosate?
The EPA evaluates the safety of pesticides such as glyphosate. According to the EPA, glyphosate has a low toxicity for people. Pets may be at risk of digestive or intestinal problems if they touch or eat plants that have just been sprayed. In December 2017, as part of a glyphosate registration review, the EPA issued a Draft Human Risk Assessment for Glyphosate, which concluded that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic in humans. In April 2019, the EPA released a Glyphosate Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision for public comments. In January 2020, after considering the public comments received, EPA released the Interim Registration Review Decision. The EPA continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label.
One international organization (the International Agency for Research on Cancer) concluded that glyphosate may be a carcinogen, while several others, including the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR), have determined that it is unlikely to be a carcinogen.
What is the FDA doing to monitor glyphosate residues in or on food?
In FY 2016, the FDA developed a streamlined selective residue method (SRM) for testing for glyphosate residues, and from FY 2016-2017, the FDA began preliminary testing of samples of soybeans, corn, milk, and eggs for glyphosate residues. The FDA completed preliminary testing of these four commodities in FY 2017, and expanded testing to other foods in FY 2018.
Why didn’t the FDA test for glyphosate before FY 2016?
The FDA is continuously expanding its monitoring capabilities to fulfill its obligation to ensure that pesticide residues on or in domestic and imported foods do not exceed EPA tolerances. In order to make the most efficient and effective use of limited resources, most FDA pesticide-testing protocols use multi-residue methods (MRMs) that can detect hundreds of pesticides in a single analysis. However, due to the chemical nature of glyphosate, the FDA’s MRMs did not work for glyphosate. Therefore, the agency needed to invest considerable time and resources to develop and validate a specifically tailored SRM to detect glyphosate and its degradation products.
How did the FDA develop a specific method to test for glyphosate?
FDA scientists evaluated various methods to identify one that would work well in FDA laboratories. They used this information to develop a new selective residue method (SRM) specifically designed for the analysis of glyphosate as well as glufosinate residues in food, incorporating the most advanced instrumentation and technology to achieve maximum sensitivity and efficiency in food analyses. After the method was developed, the FDA validated the new procedure using a variety of food types. Results from the validation of the glyphosate method demonstrated its effectiveness to measure glyphosate residue levels in food.
What are the results of the two-year sampling assignment?
Results for both FY 2016 and FY 2017 assignment samples for glyphosate and glufosinate testing showed no pesticide residue violations for glyphosate in all four commodities tested (corn, soybeans, milk, and eggs).
Of the 879 corn, soybean, milk, and egg assignment samples tested for glyphosate and glufosinate, approximately 59 % of the corn and soy samples tested positive for residues of glyphosate and/or glufosinate, but all were below the tolerance levels set by the U.S. EPA. No residues were found in any of the milk or egg samples.
Where are the results of FDA glyphosate testing?
All glyphosate testing results can be found in the FDA annual pesticide reports starting in FY 2017.
I'm a specialist in environmental science and regulatory affairs, particularly focused on pesticides and herbicides. My expertise comes from years of academic research, hands-on laboratory work, and collaboration with regulatory agencies. I've actively engaged in studying the impact of pesticides on ecosystems and human health, contributing to scientific publications in the field.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article about glyphosate regulation:
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Glyphosate Overview: Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that inhibits a crucial plant enzyme, leading to the elimination of targeted weeds and grasses. It finds applications in agriculture, forestry, and lawn and garden care.
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FDA's Role: The FDA is responsible for overseeing pesticide residues on or in domestic and imported foods. It ensures that these residues comply with limits established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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EPA's Role: The EPA evaluates pesticides, including glyphosate, to ensure their safety for human health and the environment. It sets tolerances, or limits, for the amount of pesticide residues allowed in food, providing a reasonable certainty of no harm.
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Glyphosate Tolerances: EPA has set tolerances for glyphosate on various human and animal food crops, ranging from 0.1 to 400 parts per million (ppm).
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Safety Concerns: According to the EPA, glyphosate has low toxicity for humans. However, there might be risks for pets if they come into contact with freshly sprayed plants. The EPA concluded that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic in humans, aligning with its safety assessment.
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International Perspectives: While the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggests a potential carcinogenic risk, other organizations like the European Food Safety Authority and JMPR consider it unlikely to be a carcinogen.
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FDA Monitoring of Glyphosate Residues: The FDA developed a selective residue method (SRM) in FY 2016 for testing glyphosate residues in soybeans, corn, milk, and eggs. Testing expanded to other foods in subsequent years.
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FDA Glyphosate Testing History: Before FY 2016, the FDA faced challenges in testing glyphosate due to the limitations of multi-residue methods (MRMs). The agency invested time and resources to develop a specific SRM tailored for glyphosate analysis.
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Results of FDA Testing: Glyphosate testing in FY 2016 and FY 2017 showed no violations for glyphosate residues in corn, soybeans, milk, and eggs. Approximately 59% of corn and soy samples tested positive, but all were below EPA tolerance levels.
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Availability of Results: Results of FDA glyphosate testing are accessible in annual pesticide reports starting from FY 2017.
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