Setting Residue Concentrations for Substances Not Allowed in Food

2 Setting Residue Concentrations for Substances Not Allowed in Food 

National and regional authorities responsible for the protection of public health must consider the concentration of residues of veterinary drug residues, pesticides, and other chemicals that may be in food regardless of whether the substance is allowed for that use. In many regions, in the absence of an approval for the substance, the concentration of residues allowed in food is considered to be zero. In practical terms, this is frequently defined by the technical capability of the analytical method. Attempts to improve on zero include the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) approach, which recognizes that absolute zero is unattainable, and describes an approach that considers what is technically achievable, the resources needed to achieve that technical goal, and the benefit gained. 

---