FAO/PL:1969/M/17/1

    WHO/FOOD ADD./70.38

    1969 EVALUATIONS OF SOME PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD

    THE MONOGRAPHS

    Issued jointly by FAO and WHO

    The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
    Joint Meeting of the FAO Working Party of Experts and the WHO Expert
    Group on Pesticide Residues, which met in Rome, 8 - 15 December 1969.

    FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

    WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

    Rome, 1970

    LINDANE

    Explanation

    The pesticide was evaluated in 1966, as gamma-BHC (FAO/WHO, 1967b),*
    and again in 1967 (FAO/WHO, 1968b).* Further data were considered in
    1968 and summarized in a monograph addendum (FAO/WHO, 1969b).*

    The Fourth Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
    referred back to the Joint meeting various questions pertaining to
    previous recommendations on this compound. These matters were
    considered as follows:

    RESIDUES IN FOOD AND THEIR EVALUATION

    Milk and milk products

    The 1967 Joint Meeting recommended practical residue limits of 0.004
    ppm for whole milk and 0.1 ppm for milk products on a fat basis.
    Discussions at meetings of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
    have suggested that these levels should be doubled; accordingly, the
    increased levels have been sent out to member governments for comment.
    As no comments on these higher levels had been received, the Fourth
    Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues agreed to send
    out the recommendations again for government comment, pointing out the
    discrepancy between their recommendations and those of the Joint
    Meeting.

    The Meeting reviewed the available data and agreed that the previous
    recommendation, i.e. 0.004 and 0.1 should be maintained until such
    time as data are available that might justify a higher level.

    Meat

    The recommendation for a practical residue limit in meat at 2.0 ppm on
    a fat basis was made in 1968 (FAO/WHO, 1969b),* to allow for the
    treatment of pastures. No information additional to that in the
    monographs had been furnished to support the necessity for direct
    application of lindane to animals, although data were available on
    residues resulting therefrom.

    Accordingly, the Meeting recommended that the limit of 2.0 ppm should
    be maintained as a practical residue limit and not converted into a
    tolerance unless data were furnished supporting the necessity for
    direct application to animals.

    Poultry

    The report on the 1966 Joint Meeting (FAO/WHO, 1967b)* contained a
    recommendation for a practical residue limit of lindane in meat and
    poultry at 0.7 ppm (fat basis). Although the level in meat was raised,

                 
    * See Appendix II

    following the presentation of appropriate data, at the 1968 Joint
    Meeting, the unaltered recommendation for a level of 0.7 ppm in
    poultry (fat basis) was not recorded through error in the report
    (FAO/WHO, 1969b).* The Meeting reviewed this situation and agreed that
    the monograph on lindane should be amended to show a recommendation
    for a practical residue limit of 0.7 ppm in poultry. (This amendment
    is recorded in the 'Summary of Recommendations' at Appendix I to the
    Report on the 1969 Meeting (FAO/WHO, 1970a).*

    FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION REQUIRED TO ENABLE PRACTICAL RESIDUE 
    LIMITS TO BE REVIEWED

    1. Data on the occurrence of lindane as a practical residue in milk
       and milk products.

    2. Information on the necessity of applying lindane directly to
       animals, together with data on the residues resulting from such
       applications.

                 
    * See Appendix II
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Lindane (EHC 124, 1991)
       Lindane (HSG 54, 1991)
       Lindane (ICSC)
       Lindane (PIM 859)
       Lindane (FAO Meeting Report PL/1965/10/1)
       Lindane (FAO/PL:1967/M/11/1)
       Lindane (JMPR Evaluations 2002 Part II Toxicological)
       Lindane (FAO/PL:1968/M/9/1)
       Lindane (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 3)
       Lindane (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 4)
       Lindane (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 5)
       Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1977 evaluations)
       Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1978 evaluations)
       Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1979 evaluations)
       Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1989 evaluations Part II Toxicology)
       Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1997 evaluations Part II Toxicological & Environmental)