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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 7Ch. 1.5Art. 5§ 12604 Pesticide Residue Testing Requirements

§ 12604 Pesticide Residue Testing Requirements

Food and Agricultural Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 12604 Pesticide Residue Testing Requirements

This law says that any fruit or vegetable that gets taken by the state must be tested for pesticide residue within a day, and the owner must be told right away whether it passes or fails.

Key Takeaways

  • •Seized produce must be sampled and analyzed within 24 hours.
  • •The test looks for pesticide residue or any harmful added ingredient.
  • •The owner or caretaker gets an immediate notice (in person or by telegram) about the test result.

Example

A farmer’s truck is stopped and the apples are taken by officials because they suspect the apples might have too much pesticide.

The officials must cut a small piece of the apples, test it for pesticide within 24 hours, and then tell the farmer in person or by telegram if the apples are clean or not.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 12604 Pesticide Residue Testing Requirements

Any produce which is seized and held pursuant to this article, unless previously analyzed by the director, shall be sampled and analyzed within 24 hours after the seizure for the purpose of determining the amount of pesticide residue on it. The owner or bailee of the produce shall be immediately notified in person or by telegram by the director that the analysis of the sample shows that the produce does or does not carry pesticide residue or other added deleterious ingredient in violation of this chapter or any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter. (Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 288, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

pesticide residuedeleterious ingredientseizedanalyzednotified

Related Statutes

  • § 12601 Pesticide Residue Seizure Authority
  • § 12606 Pesticide Residue Release Rules
  • § 12607 Pesticide Residue Disposal Rules
  • § 12614 Disposal Of Produce With Excess Pesticide Residue
  • § 12615 Release Of Seized Produce

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 12604.
View Official Source