What is the legal term for the limit of chemical residue allowed in food?

The legal term for the limit of chemical residue allowed in food is "tolerance." This concept is significant in ensuring food safety, as regulatory agencies establish tolerances based on scientific research to determine the maximum allowable level of pesticide residues that can remain on food products. The tolerance levels aim to protect consumers from exposure to harmful substances, ensuring that the residues present do not pose a risk to health. Tolerances are enforced by regulations and are critical for agricultural practices, allowing farmers and pesticide applicators to use products while remaining compliant with safety standards.

Other terms like "application rate" refer to the amount of pesticide applied per unit area, which does not directly correlate to the legal limits of residues found in food. "Residue threshold" is not a standard legal term in this context, while "safe level" is a more general term that could apply to various substances but does not specifically denote the regulated limits of chemical residues.