Journal of Integrative Agriculture ›› 2015, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (11): 2340-2357.DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61126-1

• 论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

Agricultural pesticide use and food safety: California’s model

 Minghua Zhang, Michael R Zeiss, Shu Geng   

  1. 1、Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
    2、California Department of Pesticide Regulation, CA 95814, USA
    3、Sino-US Joint Food Safety Research Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
    4、Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
  • 收稿日期:2015-08-17 出版日期:2015-11-08 发布日期:2015-11-12
  • 通讯作者: Minghua Zhang, E-mail: mhzhang@ucdavis.edu
  • 基金资助:

    The authors also thank the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for in-kind support and the Sino-US Joint Research Center for Food Safety for special fund (A200021501) and Start-up Funds (Z111021403) for Talents in Northwest A&F University, China.

Agricultural pesticide use and food safety: California’s model

 Minghua Zhang, Michael R Zeiss, Shu Geng   

  1. 1、Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
    2、California Department of Pesticide Regulation, CA 95814, USA
    3、Sino-US Joint Food Safety Research Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
    4、Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
  • Received:2015-08-17 Online:2015-11-08 Published:2015-11-12
  • Contact: Minghua Zhang, E-mail: mhzhang@ucdavis.edu
  • Supported by:

    The authors also thank the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for in-kind support and the Sino-US Joint Research Center for Food Safety for special fund (A200021501) and Start-up Funds (Z111021403) for Talents in Northwest A&F University, China.

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摘要： Pesticides have been an essential part of agriculture to protect crops and livestock from pest infestations and yield reduction for many decades. Despite their usefulness, pesticides could pose potential risks to food safety and the environment as well as human health. This paper reviews the positive benefits of agricultural pesticide use as well as some potential negative impacts on the environment and food safety. In addition, using the case of California, we discuss the need for both residue monitoring and effective pest management to promote food safety. Twenty years’ pesticide residue data from California’s pesticide residue monitoring program were analyzed. Results showed that more than 95% of food samples were in compliance with US pesticide residue standards (tolerances). However, certain commodities from certain sources had high percentages of residues above tolerance levels. Even when residues above tolerance levels were detected, most were at levels well below 1 mg kg–1, and most posed negligible acute health risk. However, a few detected residues had the potential to cause health effects. Therefore, establishing an effective food residue monitoring program is important to ensure food quality throughout the marketplace.

关键词: food safety , food security , pesticide use , residue monitoring , environmental impacts , IPM , tolerances , maximum residue limits (MRLs)

Abstract: Pesticides have been an essential part of agriculture to protect crops and livestock from pest infestations and yield reduction for many decades. Despite their usefulness, pesticides could pose potential risks to food safety and the environment as well as human health. This paper reviews the positive benefits of agricultural pesticide use as well as some potential negative impacts on the environment and food safety. In addition, using the case of California, we discuss the need for both residue monitoring and effective pest management to promote food safety. Twenty years’ pesticide residue data from California’s pesticide residue monitoring program were analyzed. Results showed that more than 95% of food samples were in compliance with US pesticide residue standards (tolerances). However, certain commodities from certain sources had high percentages of residues above tolerance levels. Even when residues above tolerance levels were detected, most were at levels well below 1 mg kg–1, and most posed negligible acute health risk. However, a few detected residues had the potential to cause health effects. Therefore, establishing an effective food residue monitoring program is important to ensure food quality throughout the marketplace.

Key words: food safety , food security , pesticide use , residue monitoring , environmental impacts , IPM , tolerances , maximum residue limits (MRLs)