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Inspection of pesticide residues

Last update date April 2, 2024

What is pesticide residues?

Pesticides are chemicals used in growing crops such as vegetables and fruits for the purpose of extermination and controlling pests and weeds, protecting against plant pathogens, and increasing harvesting efficiency.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is divided as shown in the table below according to the purpose of use.
When these pesticides are used, the standard value for residues (pesticide content that should not be exceeded) is stipulated by the Food Sanitation Law. This is called a pesticide residue standard.
As of December 2018, the Food Sanitation Law stipulates about 40,000 standards for each 142 types of agricultural products for 647 pesticides.

Types and Purpose of Use
Types of pesticides	Purpose of Use
insecticide	Chemicals used to control insects that harm crops, etc. There are contact agents that act directly in contact with insects, and food poisoning agents that act indirectly by insects eating the area where the drug is attached.
Fungicides	A drug used to control the proliferation of mold, bacteria, viruses, etc. that harm crops It is used not only for agricultural products but also as a disinfectant for seeds and soil.
Insecticide fungicid	A drug used to control insects that harm crops and to control the proliferation of mold, bacteria, viruses, etc. that harm crops.
Herbicides	A drug used to control the germination of weeds and shrubs, etc., or die There are selective herbicides that withering only weeds and non-selective herbicides that kills all plants. The effects include those that kill the part to which the drug adhered, and those that absorbs from roots and foliage and kills the entire plant.
Killer	Chemicals used to eliminate animals that harm crops, such as wild rats, hares, and moles, and to keep them from approaching crops.
Plant growth adjuster	Also called plant hormones, it is a drug used to directly act on the physiological function of a crop and to promote or control the growth of crops.
Induced agent	Chemicals used to collect pests.
Exhibit agents	A drug used as an auxiliary agent for the used pesticides to adhere sufficiently to the surface of agricultural products and pests. In terms of ingredients, it is a combination of surfactant and similar surfactants.
Natural enemy	It refers to the natural enemy of pests that cause crops. One example is ladybirds against aphids.
Microbial agents	Chemicals used to control pests and diseases that harm crops using microorganisms, and to keep them from approaching crops.

The Food Sanitation Laboratory tests about 270 kinds of pesticides.

For inquiries to this page

Medical Care Bureau Health and Safety Department Central Wholesale Market Home Food Sanitation Laboratory

Phone: 045-441-1153

Fax: 045-441-8009

Email address: ir-honjo@city.yokohama.jp

List of related pages Open the menu in the related page list

Inspection of pesticide residues
Food additive inspection
Natural poison test (shell poison, blowfish poison)
Other physicochemical testing

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