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.

Pesticide residue control in the years 1983-1985.

Levels of organochlorinated, organophosphate, dithiocarbamic, benzimidazolic, and phthalimidic compounds, as well as some other pesticide residues obtained from Regional Laboratories in the years 1983-1985, were assembled and presented as a part of a study aimed at evaluating food contamination. Approximately 2000 samples of vegetables, fruits, cereals, and food of animal origin were analyzed by local laboratories during the years 1983, 1984, and 1985. Samples were randomly obtained from the market, at production levels, or sometimes at custom sites. Approximately 10,000 determinations of single compounds or classes of compounds were carried out. The analytical results are presented and compared with the Italian maximum residue limits. In the majority of the samples analyzed, either there were no residues or the residues were below the permitted level for the specific pesticide in each commodity. High levels of residues were present in a few cases, mainly with respect to some fungicides in fruits and vegetables and chlorinated compounds in some animal products.