Pesticide residues in food

Review: Pesticides Residues in Food (with Special Reference to Toxicology and Environmental Problems). This review covers the literature through 1972 with 64 references and discusses the named subject under the headings of 1. Ecology — Biomagnification; 2. Deposit in Man; 3. Pesticide Residues in Food; 4. Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) vs. Tolerance; 5. Significance to Environmental Problems and Human Health, and 6. Effect on Food Quality. The review attempts to show that the probable entry of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues stored in human fat is through the daily food containing measurable amounts of pesticide residues. The review also illustrates the reasoning behind the ban on the use of DDT in the United States, based on environmental and toxicological factors. The significance of ADI concept compared with actual pesticide amounts from food intake is discussed. Finally, specific cases for a number of pesticides are described which have caused environmental or toxicologic problems, e.g. aramite, aminotriazole, 2, 4, 5-T, mercury and PCB's.Paper presented at the conference of the International Association for Quality Research on Food Plants (CIQ) held in common with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Qualit tsforschung (Pflanzliche Nahrungsmittel) e.V. (DGQ) in Berlin on 4th October 1972.