USDA · Pesticide Data Program

Onions

In 2024 the USDA Pesticide Data Program tested 708 samples of onions for residues of hundreds of pesticides. Residues were found in 28% of samples; 0.0% had a residue above the EPA tolerance.

708samples tested

28%with at least one residue

0.0%above an EPA tolerance

13%imported samples

Most frequently found

Share of samples in which each compound was detected, and the EPA tolerance for this food

Compound	Samples	Share	EPA tolerance
Imidacloprid	74	11%	0.15 ppm
Fluopyram	58	8.2%	0.40 ppm
Thiamethoxam	29	4.1%	0.030 ppm
Penthiopyrad	23	3.2%	3.00 ppm
Metalaxyl/Mefenoxam	14	2.0%	3.00 ppm
Boscalid	8	1.1%	5.00 ppm
Methomyl	6	0.8%	0.20 ppm
Flutriafol	5	0.7%	no tolerance
Pydiflumetofen	4	0.6%	0.20 ppm
Oxamyl	4	0.6%	0.20 ppm
Carbendazim (MBC)	4	0.6%	0.50 ppm
Fluopicolide	4	0.6%	7.00 ppm

9 samples (1.3%) had a residue of a compound with no EPA tolerance for this food; PDP reports these to the FDA.

Other foods tested

Almonds Apples Avocado Blackberries, Fresh Cherry Tomatoes Cucumbers Fish, Salmon Lettuce, Head Lettuce, Leaf Oranges Pineapple, Fresh Pineapple, Frozen Potatoes Pumpkin, Canned Sweet Corn, Fresh Sweet Corn, Frozen Tomatillos

An EPA tolerance is the maximum residue level legally allowed on a food in the United States. A residue found is not, by itself, a safety finding; this page reports the measurements only.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Pesticide Data Program, 2024 database (ams.usda.gov), public domain · shares calculated by Shelfpedia.