As the labor situation in the U.S. continues to evolve from low tech to high tech to higher tech, and the percent of the total harvest which is tiny cucumbers decreases, we see an ever-growing need for product from countries which have adequate supplies of the natural resources and labor available to produce the quality and quantities of the size stock U.S. consumers will purchase. As the number of bushels produced increases, the natural disease and pests pressures increase. As products come from about the world, much is trusted about the products we receive. In order to be imported we trust that the FDA will restrict import of products not of sufficient safety to be introduced into the USA food supply.
Testing is done at import by statistical sampling plans that miss most of the actual imports.
If there is a variation found, then a source can be remanded into a category where every load supplied from that source or importer may be individually sampled. Alar on apples or contaminated grapes or raspberries. On the whole, most are never touched. Sulfite, while allowed labeled in wine, is not usually expected in pickles, but is almost without fail in pepperoni. Product packed for sale in the USA would need to be labeled to prevent allergy problems.