Which law governs the establishment of pesticide tolerances for food products?

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) is the law that governs the establishment of pesticide tolerances for food products. This act provides the framework under which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets tolerances, which are the maximum amounts of pesticide residues that are permitted on food items. The FFDCA aims to ensure that food is safe and free from harmful levels of pesticide residues, thereby protecting public health.

While the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) regulates the registration, distribution, and use of pesticides, it does not specifically address tolerances for residues on food products. The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) amended the FFDCA to make improvements regarding the safety standards for pesticide residues, particularly for vulnerable populations like children, but it is the FFDCA that lays the foundational legal framework for setting those tolerances. The Pesticide Control Act (PCA) primarily pertains to state-level regulation of pesticide use and does not play a direct role in establishing federal tolerances for food products.