Pesticide residue control in the years 1980-1982

Data on pesticide residue on vegetables, fruits, cereals, and other foods of vegetable or animal origin determined by Provincial Laboratories during the years 1980-1982 are presented and compared with levels permitted by Italian legislation. An analysis of the results obtained from about 3000 samples shows that a high percentage of samples did not contain detectable pesticide residues or had residue levels below the maximum allowed by Italian law: 98% of the vegetables, 94.6% of the fruit, and 97.5% of the cereals (fumigants not considered here). On fruit, some residues exceeding the permissible levels for postharvest compounds, i.e., ethoxyquin, ethylenebisdithiocarbamate (EBDC), and benzimidazolmethylcarbamate (BMC), were found in apples and pears. Residue levels of some organochlorinated compounds slightly exceeding the legal limit were observed in some food samples of animal origin (mainly cow's milk). Comparing the present results with those of previous studies indicates that there has been a general decline in the residue levels of aldrin/dieldrin in milk and milk products.