Questions and Answers

The following are recommended answers to the questions most frequently asked by customers and reporters.

Does all produce contain pesticide residues?

Virtually all fresh fruits and vegetables contain some very, very small traces of pesticide residues. However, most of the produce sold to the foodservice industry -- some 50 to 80 percent — contains such small traces of pesticide residues that they can't even be detected with the most commonly used scientific equipment.

Is produce safe? How do you know?

Yes, fresh fruits and vegetables sold to foodservice customers are safe to eat. The federal government, along with various state governments, sets very tough food safety standards that must be met under penalty of law. Allowable levels are routinely set 100 to 1,000 times lower than would pose any human health threat. These standards, called tolerances, are established to protect people from short- and long-term effects over an average lifetime (70 years).

Are my customers going to get cancer from eating certain fruits or vegetables?

No. The National Academy of Sciences, and independent research organization that advises the federal government on scientific issues, has declared "no adverse effects result from the ingestion of small amounts [of pesticide residues] in foods." The U.S. Surgeon General, American Cancer Society, National Academy of Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute all encourage consumers to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce their risks of cancer. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and virtually fat-free.

Should I be concerned about serving my customers too much produce?

It is difficult to imagine your customers eating too much produce. The best advice is to offer a balanced menu selection, with contributions from each of the major food groups. Nutrition experts recommend consumers eat five servings (4 to 8 ounces each) of fruits and vegetables every day.

Are children at special risk of harm from pesticide residues?

The federal government takes into account the special needs of children when it establishes safety standards. Children do eat more in relation to their body weight than adults, and they may tend to eat more fruits and vegetables. But they're well protected by safety standards that are often a thousand times tougher than would pose a health threat. Operators wishing to take extra steps can simply wash fresh fruits and vegetables, scrub those (carrots, potatoes) that have a tough outer skin, and peel away the outside layers of leafy vegetables.

Do pesticide residues pose greater risks to pregnant women and their unborn children?

No. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very valuable sources of nutrients important to pregnant women.

Will my customers get sick from eating fruits and vegetables with pesticides on them?

Your customers will not get sick from eating produce with pesticide residues within federal and state levels. There have been one or two cases in the past where pesticides were used illegally and resulted in people getting sick. In 1985, there was an incidence where watermelons were contaminated by the illegal use of a pesticide called aldicarb, for example, and several people got sick from eating those melons. The guilty parties were prosecuted.

How can I tell which fruits and vegetables have pesticides on them?

You can't see, smell, or taste residues. Most fresh fruits and vegetables don't have any detectable residues. Residues can only be detected by sophisticated laboratory tests. But you can be confident that the fresh fruits and vegetables you buy are safe, thanks to sound farming practices and federal and state monitoring.

Which pesticides are used on the produce you sell?

Pesticides are developed for specific crops and specific pests. Different pesticides are used on different produce commodities. There are some 300 active ingredients that have been or are being used in pesticides approved for crops. This sounds like a big number, but remember that each pesticide is carefully tested and approved for use on specific crops for specific pests.

How are they applied and how log are they active?

Because pesticides are expensive, it's in the best interests of farmers to apply them as efficiently as possible: using tanks pulled by tractors, by various spray systems, even by aircraft. In the old days, the objective was to use chemicals that destroyed all possible pests and that lasted a long time — a year or more. That was before we became aware of the potential health and environmental consequences of pesticide use. Now, the emphasis is on chemicals that are used for one crop ad one type of pest. These pesticides last only a short time before they degrade into harmless substances.

Are pesticides needed?

To reach a foodservice establishment, crops need to compete against weeks, insects, rodents, disease, and other pests. There are an estimated 10,000 types of insects; 1,800 types of weeds; and 250 species of viruses and 8,000 species of fungi that destroy crops. Even with the use of pesticides, about one-third of the world's crops are destroyed by these pests each year -- at a cost of $20 billion in the United States alone.

Why should we use chemicals at all if they're going to endanger our health and environment?

Used properly and prudently, pesticides don't leave residues onproduce that endangers anyone's health. Pesticides do, however, sometimes have adverse environmental consequences. The produce industry is reducing pesticide use and developing natural alternatives to pest management.

Why can't all produce be grown organically?

The produce industry encourages research that will foster growth in organic production. Some produce is grown organically — without the use of nay pesticides. But it is virtually impossible to grow all produce organically because all or most of the crop is often lost to pests. Foodservice customers require ample supplies of produce that are reasonably free of defects, blemishes and insect infestations, taste good, look good, and are affordable. Today, that requires use of a variety of agricultural techniques.

Is it true that some pesticides cannot be washed off?

Most pesticide residues can be washed off, or are removed when the fruit and vegetable is peeled, cooked, or otherwise prepared. Some, however, remain on fruits and vegetables that consumers eat. The important point is that remaining residues do not represent a significant health risk. Government standards, set only after long and careful review and evaluation, assure that any residues present are in such minute quantities that they will not harm you.

Do waxes have chemicals in them?

Sometimes. Very think layers of waxes are put on some fruits and vegetables to help them retain moisture during shipment and marketing, and to keep insects and microbes from infesting the produce. These chemicals are scrutinized just like any others, so the levels are so low they represent no significant health risk.

Who's responsible for assuring us that fruits and vegetables are safe to eat?

It is the shared responsibility of at least two agencies of the federal government and, in some instances, state governments, to assure produce safety. And, industry plays a big role.

What's the role of industry?

When a chemical company develops a new pesticide, that company must conduct exhaustive research, according to very strict government guidelines, to prove the safety of that compound for each and every crop on which it is to be used. Farmers are required by law to adhere to strict application guidelines — how much pesticide can be used, how often, when, and on what crops.

What is the role of the Environmental Protection Agency?

Once pesticides are approved, the EPA establishes what are called "tolerance levels," the amount of pesticide residues that can safely remain on fruits and vegetables. The tolerance levels are set with a safety buffer of hundreds of thousands of times the dosages at which they can be harmful.

What is the role of the Food and Drug Administration?

Once EPA sets the standards, it becomes the responsibility of the FDA to enforce the approved use of the pesticide. The FDA has a program with three levels of testing: surveillance, compliance, and certification. Under the surveillance system, the agency samples a representative amount of the fresh fruit and vegetable supply. If the agency's tests show that there is a problem, then suspected produce can be seized, shipments stopped, and offenders prevented from further use of pesticides.

Is imported produce less safe than domestic?

Imported produce must meet the same standards as domestic produce and is refused entry if the FDA finds it is in violation of those standards. Since the imports of fresh fruits and vegetables are expected to increase in the coming years, FDA authorities have said that the agency will increase its efforts to assure that imported produce is safe. California has recently increased its inspection of imported produce. When violations are found in imported foods, the importer must hire a private laboratory to analyze and certify the safety of each shipment. FDA reviews the certification reports to make sure the private analysis is adequate.

If the government does not check for many of the most toxic pesticides, how can you be sure produce grown with these chemicals is safe?

The government inspects for pesticides that are most likely to be used and are especially toxic. Inspectors are updated regularly as to what crops and pesticides require the greatest attention. But the most toxic pesticides generally are not used on food crops -- they are reserved for on-food applications, such as lawn insect control or termite eradication.

If the government uncovers a problem once the product is on the market, what is done about it? Is the public informed of dangerous produce?

If government officials have any reason to believe dangerously contaminated produce has reached the foodservice marketplace, FDA can impound the contaminated produce at the distributor level and effect a recall of all produce at the operator level suspected of having a similar problem. It will also pursue criminal penalties for parties who have broken the law. The national media is immediately notified so that foodservice distributors and operators will know what to do and how to do it. The March 1989 incident involving the criminal tampering of a small sample of Chilean grapes that was injected with cyanide demonstrated that the federal government is responsive to any potential significant public health threat.

If produce is safe, why are some retail stores doing their own inspection?

Some retail stores have private labs to perform extra sampling and analysis of produce. While additional testing does not make the produce any more safe to eat, it helps to assure these stores that the government inspection program is working as intended. Other retail stores, however, are testing produce and advertising that their produce is "certified" by private testing companies. This practice misleads consumers by implying that their produce is "safer than safe." They are using this advertising to gain a market advantage. Federal and state governments do virtually the same testing performed by private testing services to declare that produce is safe to eat.

Why doesn't your establishment have its produce inspected by a private testing service?

We know how well the government's system works, and we have confidence in the safety of what we sell without third-party certification. Since we know our produce is safe, the next thing we can do for our customers is to keep the price as low as possible. Third party certification is expensive and could lead to price increases.

Do you require people who supply your fresh produce to use fewer pesticides?

We encourage all produce growers and shippers to strive, over time, to reduce pesticide use. We consider that to be the environmentally responsible thing to do. But, meanwhile, we sell our produce with the knowledge that it is safe.

Is pesticide use going up or down?

Farmers are using fewer pesticides and applying them more efficiently. In addition, there is a gradual decrease in alternative post-management techniques.