Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) Practice Exam

What is the primary focus of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) developed in 1938?

1. Pesticide manufacturing processes

2. Food safety standards for pesticide residues

3. Consumer education on pesticide usage

4. Worker safety in pesticide application

The correct answer is: Food safety standards for pesticide residues

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), established in 1938, primarily focuses on ensuring food safety, particularly concerning pesticide residues in food products. It sets the legal framework that governs the allowable limits of pesticide chemical residues on food and ensures that these levels are safe for consumption. This act ultimately aims to protect public health by regulating substances that are added to food and ensuring that food products are safe and accurately labeled. While aspects such as pesticide manufacturing processes, consumer education, and worker safety are important in the broader context of pesticide regulation and safety, they are not the primary focus of the FFDCA. The act specifically addresses concerns about the safety of food and drugs consumed by the public, making the regulation of pesticide residues a core aspect of its provisions.