Pesticide residues in composited milk collected through the U.S. Pasteurized Milk Network

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has implemented a comprehensive monitoring program to determine the incidence and levels of organohalogen pesticide residues in milk representing most of the U.S. supply consumed in metropolitan areas. Residue findings for 806 composite milks collected through the Pasteurized Milk Program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1990-1991 are reported. Milk was collected on a monthly basis from 63 stations selected by EPA for radionuclide monitoring. These stations provide an estimated 80% of the milk delivered to U.S. population centers. At each station, milk from selected sources had been composited to represent the milk routinely consumed in its metropolitan area. Portions of these composites were forwarded to an FDA contract laboratory for pesticide residue analysis. Pesticide residues were found in 398 (49.4%) of 806 test samples, on the basis of a 0.0005 ppm limit of detection for each residue on a whole-product basis. A total of 455 occurrences of pesticide residues were found; p,p'-DDE and dieldrin accounted for 384 (84.4%) of these occurrences. The highest level was 0.019 ppm p,p'-DDE.