Washington ( CNN ) -- The U.S. government is not fully guarding against the contamination of meat by traces of antibiotics , pesticides or heavy metals , a new report warns . The U.S. Department of Agriculture 's inspector general said federal agencies have failed to set limits on many potentially harmful chemical residues , which `` has resulted in meat with these substances being distributed in commerce . '' When it comes to pesticide traces , only one type is tested for , according to the report . There are also no set limits for some heavy metals , like copper . In 2008 , Mexican authorities turned away an American shipment of beef , because it did not meet Mexico 's limits when tested for copper traces . But the very same rejected meat could be sold in the United States , since no limit has been set , the analysis says . That example shows `` the government has fallen down on the job here , '' said Tony Corbo of the consumer advocacy group Food and Water Watch . `` Some of the residues that the inspector general cited could be carcinogenic , as they accumulate over a period of time in the body , '' he said . The study focused on contamination by chemical residues , rather than bacteria . While bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella can cause an illness that is acute but brief , chemical residues are more like to build up over time , and no amount of cooking will destroy them . The USDA pledged to `` swiftly implement the corrective actions '' recommended by the inspector , which including testing for more kinds of residue and setting limits on how much of each substance is allowable . A department spokesman pointed out that this kind of fix , which is expected to require coordination with the FDA and the EPA , was one of the main reasons President Obama created a Food Safety Working Group last year . The National Cattlemen 's Beef Association said in a statement , `` We fully support the critical role of the federal government in ensuring beef safety . '' `` While the U.S. beef supply is extraordinarily safe by any nation 's standards , '' it added , `` the beef industry is constantly looking for ways to improve the systems that ensure the safest product possible for our consumers . '' The study , first reported by USA Today , also says that when cattle test positive for residue , it is difficult to track back where it came from because it often passes through several buyers and sellers . The American Meat Institute said that problem `` underscores the need to implement comprehensive livestock traceback procedures , '' with a national animal identification system . CNN 's Brian Todd contributed to this report .
Official : Federal agencies fail to set limits on potentially harmful chemical residues . In U.S. , there are no set limits for some heavy metals , like copper , in beef . Study focused on contamination by chemical residues , rather than bacteria .