A new pesticide is now allowed on lettuce in the US

US environmental regulators just approved a new pesticide for use on lettuce. This means farmers can now use afidopyropen on leafy greens, and consumers will find residues of it on their produce.

Every new pesticide approval means a new chemical enters the food supply. These approvals are often small, but they add up to a steady increase in the number and type of chemicals allowed on food. This particular approval came from a petition by a research project, not a chemical company, which is a common way for new chemicals to get approved for niche crops.