The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to register new uses for the pesticide chlormequat chloride on food crops. If finalized, the decision would mark the first-ever approval for using chlormequat chloride on U.S. food. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has raised food safety concerns with EPA’s proposal.

The majority of food on the EU market contain pesticide residues below legally permitted thresholds according to the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) 2021 report on pesticides in foods.

A recent article authored by scientists affiliated with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) stresses the importance of conscientiously choosing pesticides for use on food crops to mitigate the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Researchers are investigating the use of antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria as a food-safe, clean-label, and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides, which pose food safety and environmental health risks.

The European Commission has recently updated its import controls regulation to increase checks for aflatoxins, pesticides, and microbiological contaminants.

The EU experienced more food safety notifications through its online Rapid Alert System for Food and Food Network in 2021 than in years prior, with pesticides, food contact materials, and fraud highlighted in a Administrative Assistance and Cooperative Network report.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) decision that glyphosate is safe for humans, stating that EPA ignored glyphosate’s dangers to humans and the environment.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published a report that examines the risk assessment process of microorganisms used as pesticides, which may provide a solution for a more sustainable food system.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a notice of intent to suspend all uses of the pesticide Dimethyl Tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA) due to its possible damaging effects on thyroid function and fetal development.

The Environmental Working Group has released its 2022 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, which ranks popular fruits and vegetables by their pesticide residue levels.