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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60144</law_id><section_number>3.2-5125</section_number><catch_line>Poisonous or deleterious substance added to food</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>3.2-5122</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="3.2">Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Food and Drink; Weights and Measures</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="51">Food and Drink</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Adulteration, Misbranding, and False Advertising</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any poisonous or deleterious substance added to any <span class="dictionary">food</span>, except if it is required in the production of the <span class="dictionary">food</span> or cannot be avoided by good manufacturing practice, shall be deemed to be unsafe for purposes of subdivision 2 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Adulterated food" href="/3.2-5122/">3.2-5122</a>; but when any poisonous or deleterious substance is required or cannot be avoided, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall adopt regulations limiting the quantity to such extent as it finds necessary for the protection of public health. Any quantity exceeding the limits established by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall also be deemed to be unsafe for purposes of the application of subdivision 2 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Adulterated food" href="/3.2-5122/">3.2-5122</a>. While such regulation is in effect limiting the quantity of any poisonous or deleterious substance in any <span class="dictionary">food</span>, such <span class="dictionary">food</span> shall not, by reason of bearing or containing any added amount of such substance, be considered to be adulterated within the meaning of subdivision 1 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Adulterated food" href="/3.2-5122/">3.2-5122</a> if the added amount is not in excess of the limits established by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. In determining the quantity of any added substance to be tolerated in or on different articles of <span class="dictionary">food</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall take into account the extent to which the use of such substance is required or cannot be avoided in the production of each article, and the other ways in which the consumer may be affected by the same or other poisonous or deleterious substances.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 3-317, 3-343; 1966, c. 702, &#xA7;&#xA7; 3.1-397, 3.1-422; 2008, c. 860.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
