Food Safety FAQs

Dave’s Killer Bread is committed to producing bread made with USDA Organic, Non-GMO ingredients and whole grains while meeting U.S. food safety standards. This FAQ provides additional context on food safety, organic certification, product ingredients, and the Florida testing results to help answer common questions.

Understanding Food Safety

What does it mean when glyphosate is “detected” in a food product?

Detection means that laboratory instruments identified the presence of a substance, sometimes at extremely small concentrations measured in parts per billion. One part per billion is equivalent to one second in approximately 32 years. Detection alone does not indicate a safety concern. Federal regulators set safety thresholds well above typical detection levels to determine when a substance may pose a risk.

What is the difference between a safety limit and a detection level?

A safety limit (or tolerance) is the maximum amount of a substance that federal regulators have determined can be consumed daily over a lifetime without posing a health risk. Safety limits are set using conservative assumptions that include large built-in margins to protect all populations, including children. A detection level is simply the smallest amount a laboratory instrument can measure. Because modern instruments can detect substances at extremely low concentrations often far below any level of concern, detection should not be confused with danger.

How does the EPA evaluate glyphosate safety?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes science-based tolerance limits for glyphosate on many crops used in food production. These limits are designed so that even when a person’s total exposure across diet and other sources is combined, it remains well below levels considered safe. These limits range from 0.1 to 400 parts per million depending on the crop, and the EPA continues to conclude that glyphosate has low toxicity and does not pose a public health risk when used according to current regulations.

What is the EPA safety limit for glyphosate in grains?

The EPA safety limit for glyphosate in grains used in bread and other grain-based foods is 30 parts per million (ppm), which equals 30,000 parts per billion (ppb).

How do U.S. glyphosate safety standards compare to international standards?

Glyphosate safety limits for grains are set by regulatory agencies around the world. The U.S. EPA and the Codex Alimentarius (the international food safety body jointly managed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) both set the tolerance for cereal grains at 30 ppm, which equals 30,000 parts per billion. Japan’s limit is also 30 ppm. The European Union sets its limit at 10 ppm for wheat, which equals 10,000 parts per billion, while Canada and Australia set theirs at 5 ppm, which equals 5,000 parts per billion.

Food Safety

Are Dave’s Killer Bread products safe to eat?

Yes. Dave’s Killer Bread products are safe to eat and meet all federal food safety standards. All Dave’s Killer Bread products are made with organic ingredients , and all of the company’s suppliers maintain USDA organic certification through rigorous third-party audits. The company remains confident that its products are safe to consume.

Has any government agency issued a recall or safety warning for Dave’s Killer Bread?

No. No government agency has issued any recall, regulatory violation, or enforcement action related to glyphosate in Dave’s Killer Bread products.

How does Dave’s Killer Bread ensure ingredient safety?

All Dave’s Killer Bread products are made with organic ingredients , and the company’s suppliers maintain USDA organic certification through rigorous third-party audits. The company follows strict food safety and quality control standards throughout every stage of production to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

What steps does Dave’s Killer Bread take to ensure product safety?

Making bakery products that are safe and high quality is the company’s top priority. Dave’s Killer Bread follows strict, food safety and quality control standards throughout every stage of production to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Are Dave’s Killer Bread products compliant with federal safety standards?

Yes. Dave’s Killer Bread products comply with U.S. food safety regulations. No federal or state agency has issued any enforcement action, recall request, or recommendation to remove the product from sale.

Organic Standards

Are Dave’s Killer Bread products still organic?

Yes. Dave’s Killer Bread products are USDA Organic certified and Non-GMO Project Verified. USDA Certified Organic products are regulated and certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. To achieve the USDA certification, Dave’s Killer Bread products are made using ingredients that are produced without chemicals (such as synthetic herbicides, like glyphosate, pesticides or artificial fertilizers), genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or anything that was processed using ionizing radiation or contains food additives. Dave’s Killer Bread works closely with suppliers to uphold these standards, and all suppliers maintain USDA organic certification through rigorous third-party audits.

How can trace pesticide residues appear in organic foods?

Organic farmers do not apply synthetic herbicides like glyphosate. However, trace environmental residues can sometimes occur due to factors such as: environmental drift from nearby farms; shared transportation or storage infrastructure; and background environmental presence in soil or water. This type of trace detection can occur across the grain industry, including in organic foods.

Does the USDA allow trace pesticide residues in organic products?

Under the USDA's National Organic Program ( 7 CFR 205.671 ), organic products may contain trace residues of prohibited substances, including glyphosate, at levels up to 5% of the EPA tolerance before further review is required. While glyphosate is prohibited from use in organic agriculture, the USDA recognizes that trace environmental residues can occur through no fault of the producer. For glyphosate in grain-based foods, 5% of the EPA tolerance equals 1,500 ppb. This allowance recognizes unavoidable environmental exposure and does not indicate that organic standards were violated.

Glyphosate/ Roundup

Does Dave’s Killer Bread contain Roundup or glyphosate?

Dave’s Killer Bread absolutely does not add or use glyphosate in the production of its products. Trace environmental residues can occasionally be detected in grain-based foods—including organic products—due to factors like environmental drift from nearby farms or shared transportation infrastructure.

Are the glyphosate levels detected in Dave’s Killer Bread dangerous?

No. The trace levels detected are thousands of times below the EPA safety limit of 30,000 ppb for grains and are also well below conservative health benchmarks used by environmental advocacy organizations. Detecting a substance at extremely low levels does not by itself indicate a health risk.

How do glyphosate levels in Dave’s Killer Bread compare to other breads?

Independent testing has shown that trace levels detected in Dave’s Killer Bread are significantly lower than many conventional (non-organic) bread brands, some of which have tested at nearly 200 ppb or higher.

Why can trace glyphosate residue appear in bread products?

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in global agriculture, and trace residues can occasionally appear in grain-based foods. Differences in detected levels often reflect variations in wheat sourcing or agricultural practices, not differences in product safety.

Can trace glyphosate appear in non-GMO or organic foods?

Very small trace amounts can sometimes appear in grain products due to environmental factors such as drift, shared storage infrastructure, or background environmental presence. These trace detections can occur even when crops are grown in accordance with organic or non-GMO standards.

Can the trace levels of glyphosate detected in Dave’s Killer Bread affect gut health or the microbiome?

The trace levels of glyphosate detected in certain Dave’s Killer Bread products are extremely low—thousands of times below established federal safety thresholds—and are not expected to pose a risk to gut health or the microbiome. Regulatory agencies, including the EPA, have determined that dietary exposure at these levels does not pose a health concern . Detecting a substance at very low levels does not mean it is harmful. To reach the EPA’s conservative safety limit, a person would need to consume hundreds of servings in a single sitting.

Florida Department of Health Study

Why did Florida test bread products for glyphosate?

In early 2026, the Florida Department of Health tested eight bread products across five national brands as part of its Healthy Florida First initiative, a state-led program focused on food and consumer health topics. The testing did not result in any recall, enforcement action, or recommendation to remove products from sale. All products tested across every brand were far below federal safety thresholds.

What did the Florida “Healthy Florida First” testing find?

On February 5, 2026, the Florida Department of Health released results from testing eight bread products across five national brands. Glyphosate was detected in six of the eight products, with results ranging from not detected to 192 parts per billion. All products were far below federal safety thresholds.

Were the levels detected in the Florida testing unsafe?

No. All reported levels were far below federal safety thresholds. The reported levels for the Dave’s Killer Bread products (approximately 10–12 ppb) are far below the EPA safety limit of 30,000 ppb and do not indicate a health concern.

How do those results compare to federal safety limits?

All results were far below federal safety limits. The EPA safety limit for glyphosate in grains is 30 parts per million (ppm), which equals 30,000 parts per billion (ppb). The difference in units can be confusing: parts per million and parts per billion are simply two ways of expressing the same measurement, similar to feet and inches. The Florida testing results were reported in parts per billion. Even the highest result reported in the testing (192 ppb) is less than 1% of the EPA's safety limit of 30,000 ppb for cereal grains. The levels detected in Dave’s Killer Bread products (approximately 10–12 ppb) represent less than 0.04% of that limit. All products tested across every brand were far below federal safety thresholds.

Did the Florida testing trigger any recalls or enforcement actions?

No. The testing was released as part of the state’s Healthy Florida First transparency initiative and did not result in any regulatory action, recall, or recommendation to remove products from store shelves. All products tested across every brand were far below federal safety thresholds.

Why did some reports describe the results as “high levels”?

The phrase “high levels” was used by the Florida Surgeon General when discussing the testing results. However, that characterization differs from how the EPA evaluates safety. The EPA’s risk assessments—which include assumptions designed to protect vulnerable populations, including children—have determined that dietary exposure below established tolerances does not present a health risk .

How large is the gap between the test results and the safety limit?

The difference is substantial. Even the highest result reported across all brands tested (192 ppb) is less than 1% of the EPA safety limit of 30,000 ppb, indicating a wide margin between detected levels and established safety thresholds. If the EPA safety limit were represented as a 100-yard football field, the results from all eight breads tested—including Dave’s Killer Bread—would fall within the first two feet of the field, while the safety limit would be at the opposite end zone. The levels detected in Dave’s Killer Bread products (approximately 10–12 ppb) represent less than 0.04% of the EPA safety limit—just over one inch from the goal line, roughly the width of a thumb.

Are the differences between brands meaningful from a safety perspective?

The range of results across the products tested—from not detected to 192 ppb—represents a small fraction of the EPA safety threshold—less than 1% of that limit. At these levels, the differences between products are not meaningful from a safety perspective.

What does the Florida testing mean for consumers?

The results show that trace environmental residues can occasionally be detected in grain-based foods, including organic products. However, the levels reported remain well within established safety standards , and no recalls or regulatory actions were issued following the testing.