Glyphosate Testing 2015-16

Chemical hazards may occur in foods either from their deliberate use in food production or by accidental contamination from the environment, during processing, or due to the presence of natural toxins. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) tests foods for pesticides to detect food safety risks and ensure that the food supply meets Canadian standards.

The CFIA tested 3188 samples from a variety of imported and domestic food products for residues of the herbicide, Glyphosate. This was done to see what levels of residues were in these products and to verify that the levels of residues found meet Canadian guidelines. The results obtained from the testing were compared to the limits set by Health Canada.

The results of the survey showed that 70.3% of samples tested did not contain detectable residues of Glyphosate. The overall sample compliance rate to Canadian standards for Glyphosate was found to be 98.7%. None of the samples of fruits and vegetables or children's food products were found to contain residue levels which exceeded limits. Non-compliance data were evaluated by Health Canada and no human health concerns were identified. The CFIA will continue to monitor for the presence of this commonly used herbicide to ensure the safety of the Canadian food supply.