Pesticide Residue Testing Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides & Others), By Technology (Single Residue Method, Multiple Residue Method, LC-MS/GC-MS, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography, Others), By Class (Organochlorines, Oganophosphates, Organonitrogens, Carbamates, Others), By Food Tested (Meat & Poultry, Dairy Products, Processed Food, Fruits & Vegetables, Cereals, Grains & Pulses, Others), By Region and Competition, 2020-2030F

Market Overview

The Global Pesticide Residue Testing Market, valued at USD 1.40 Billion in 2024, is projected to experience a CAGR of 6.81% to reach USD 2.08 Billion by 2030. Pesticide residue testing encompasses the analytical determination of chemical compound concentrations remaining in or on food and agricultural products, verifying adherence to maximum residue limits. This market's expansion is fundamentally propelled by the global enforcement of stringent food safety regulations and increasing consumer demand for verified safe produce. The sustained growth in international food trade also mandates rigorous testing protocols and certifications. According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, by 2024, 6453 Maximum Residue Limits were adopted for diverse pesticide and commodity combinations.

Advancements in analytical technologies like LC-MS/GC-MS further facilitate more precise and efficient residue detection, contributing to market vitality. As per the 2023 Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues report, 35 pesticides underwent evaluation, underscoring continuous scientific review. Nevertheless, a primary challenge hindering market development remains the inadequate food control infrastructure and a shortage of trained personnel in numerous developing regions, constraining the widespread implementation of testing initiatives.

Key Market Drivers

Stringent global food safety regulations are a primary catalyst for the pesticide residue testing market, compelling food producers and distributors to adhere to evolving international standards for chemical contaminant levels. Governments and regulatory bodies consistently strengthen maximum residue limits for various pesticides to safeguard public health and facilitate international trade. This legislative environment necessitates comprehensive testing throughout the food supply chain. For example, according to COLEAD's news update, during the period May – August 2024, significant changes to EU Maximum Residue Levels affected 15 active substances relevant to export horticulture, directly influencing compliance requirements for agricultural exports to the European Union. These amendments expand the scope of tested pesticides and commodities, driving demand for more sophisticated analytical solutions to ensure compliance and market access.

Concurrently, growing consumer awareness of food safety and associated health risks substantially propels the demand for pesticide residue testing. Consumers are increasingly informed about potential health implications of pesticide exposure, actively seeking products certified as compliant with strict safety thresholds. This heightened scrutiny influences purchasing decisions and encourages food brands to invest in verifiable safety measures and robust testing protocols. According to the research published by CABI in Global Food Security in September 2024, a survey of 8,644 consumers across five countries identified pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables as their primary food safety concern, illustrating direct consumer apprehension. This demand for assurance is further supported by government initiatives; according to the Government of India, in July 2023, 25 states and two Union Territories established 71 pesticide testing laboratories with an annual capacity to analyze over 77,040 samples.

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Key Market Challenges

The inadequate food control infrastructure and a shortage of trained personnel in numerous developing regions present a substantial impediment to the growth of the Global Pesticide Residue Testing Market. Many emerging economies lack the essential laboratory facilities, sophisticated equipment, and a skilled workforce necessary to implement robust testing protocols. This deficiency directly curtails the widespread adoption of pesticide residue analysis, as countries struggle to establish effective monitoring systems or enforce maximum residue limits. Consequently, the capacity for domestic food safety verification remains limited, and the ability of these regions to meet international trade standards for agricultural exports is compromised.

This infrastructural and human capital deficit translates into reduced demand for advanced analytical instruments and testing services within these territories. For instance, according to the AOAC INTERNATIONAL Africa Section in March 2023, results from laboratories participating in a benchmarking program indicated that 70% of total aflatoxin analyses and 50% of AFB1 analyses failed to achieve target standard method performance, with other mycotoxin analyses performing considerably worse. Such performance gaps, applicable to chemical residue testing generally, highlight underlying issues with infrastructure and trained personnel. This scenario directly restrains the potential market expansion for pesticide residue testing solutions, as a significant portion of the global agricultural landscape remains underserved by adequate testing capabilities.

Key Market Trends

The integration of Artificial Intelligence and Automation in testing significantly influences the global pesticide residue testing market by enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and throughput. Automated systems and AI algorithms streamline complex analytical processes, reduce manual errors, and accelerate data interpretation, which is critical for meeting stringent regulatory demands. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, in January 2025, a comprehensive literature synthesis examining practical AI applications in food safety management was under compilation in collaboration with Wageningen Food Safety Research, underscoring growing interest in this technological integration. This trend allows laboratories to process a higher volume of samples with improved precision, contributing to faster turnaround times for results and optimizing resource utilization within the testing ecosystem. For instance, ABB Robotics, in January 2025, announced a partnership with Agilent Technologies to deliver automated laboratory solutions, aiming to combine advanced analytical instrumentation with robotics for more efficient workflows.

Blockchain Technology for Enhanced Traceability is another pivotal trend, transforming transparency and trust across the food supply chain. This technology provides an immutable and decentralized ledger, recording every step of a product's journey from farm to consumer, including pesticide application details and testing results. Such transparency enables stakeholders, including regulators and consumers, to access verified data, thereby mitigating food fraud and facilitating rapid identification of contamination sources. According to Farmonaut, in 2025, over 30% of global agricultural supply chains are projected to utilize blockchain for improved traceability and transparency. This capability directly impacts the pesticide residue testing market by increasing the demand for authenticated testing data to be integrated into these digital ledgers. For example, Walmart, in May 2025, reported reducing the time needed to trace food items from days to merely 2.2 seconds by implementing blockchain technology within its traceability system in partnership with IBM.

Segmental Insights

The herbicides segment is experiencing rapid growth within the global pesticide residue testing market, driven by several interconnected factors. A primary reason is the extensive application of herbicides in modern agriculture to manage weeds and enhance crop yields, leading to a greater potential for residues in food products. This widespread usage necessitates more frequent and comprehensive testing. Additionally, heightened consumer awareness regarding the potential health impacts of pesticide residues compels demand for rigorous food safety standards. Regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continually implement and update stringent Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for herbicides, thereby mandating increased testing to ensure compliance and market access for agricultural goods.

Regional Insights

North America holds a leading position in the Global Pesticide Residue Testing Market, primarily due to its stringent regulatory landscape and strong emphasis on food safety. The region benefits from robust government frameworks and continuous updates to tolerance levels for pesticide residues, enforced by agencies such as the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). This regulatory rigor, combined with high consumer awareness regarding the potential health impacts of pesticide contamination, drives substantial demand for testing services across the food supply chain. Additionally, the presence of major industry players and advanced testing technologies contributes significantly to North America's market dominance.

Recent Developments

• In October 2025, a collaborative research effort involving PerkinElmer, Pollucon Laboratories, and Devchand College resulted in a high-throughput LC-MS/MS method for quantifying 135 pesticides in chili powder. This breakthrough addresses significant challenges posed by the complex matrix of spices, aiming to assist global food trade by ensuring compliance with stringent maximum residue limits set by regulatory bodies. The method achieved a limit of quantification of 0.005 mg/kg for all targeted pesticides, demonstrating high reliability and precision suitable for routine regulatory testing.

• In September 2025, Agilent Technologies India initiated the next phase of its collaboration with ICAR–National Research Centre for Grapes to advance food safety in India. This partnership focuses on co-developing workflows for pesticide residue and fumigant analysis, ensuring alignment with global standards for grape exports. The initiative emphasizes sustainability, precision, and scalability to meet increasing demands in agricultural trade. Additionally, the collaboration promotes knowledge exchange through workshops and publications to build capacity among food safety professionals and foster validated methods in various laboratories.

• In December 2024, Test Veritas announced new proficiency testing proposals for pesticide residues to be introduced in 2025. The company revealed four new matrices for pesticide research: infant formula (milk powder), wheat flour, red wine, and dried lentils. These additions to their Progetto Trieste line aim to support laboratories in monitoring their analytical performance for pesticide residue detection. The expansion of available matrices directly addresses the evolving needs for validating testing methods across a wider range of food products, enhancing overall food safety assurance.

• In October 2024, a significant breakthrough research was announced by 3M regarding a new AI-based handheld device, Pestiscand, designed to detect pesticide residues on produce. This innovative technology employs spectrophotometry to measure light reflection from fruits and vegetables, with a machine learning model analyzing the data for pesticide presence. During testing, the prototype achieved an accuracy rate exceeding 85% for identifying residues on spinach and tomatoes. This development represents a notable advancement in rapid, non-destructive pesticide residue detection, offering potential for improved food safety monitoring.

Key Market Players

• Eurofins Scientific SE
• Bureau Veritas S.A.
• SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA.
• Mettler Toledo
• Intertek Group PLC
• Mérieux NutriSciences Corporation
• ALS Limited
• Asurequality Limited
• SCS Global Services
• Microbac Laboratories Inc.

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Pesticide Residue Testing Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Pesticide Residue Testing Market, By Type:

o   Herbicides

o   Insecticides

o   Fungicides

o   Others

• Pesticide Residue Testing Market, By Technology:

o   Single Residue Method

o   Multiple Residue Method

o   LC-MS/GC-MS

o   High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

o   Gas Chromatography

o   Others

• Pesticide Residue Testing Market, By Class:

o   Organochlorines

o   Oganophosphates

o   Organonitrogens

o   Carbamates

o   Others

• Pesticide Residue Testing Market, By Food Tested:

o   Meat & Poultry

o   Dairy Products

o   Processed Food

o   Fruits & Vegetables

o   Cereals

o   Grains & Pulses

o   Others

• Pesticide Residue Testing Market, By Region:

o   North America

§  United States

§  Canada

§  Mexico

o   Europe

§  France

§  United Kingdom

§  Italy

§  Germany

§  Spain

o   Asia Pacific

§  China

§  India

§  Japan

§  Australia

§  South Korea

o   South America

§  Brazil

§  Argentina

§  Colombia

o   Middle East & Africa

§  South Africa

§  Saudi Arabia

§  UAE

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies presents in the Global Pesticide Residue Testing Market.

Available Customizations:

Global Pesticide Residue Testing Market report with the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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