ENDOSULFAN JMPR 1975
Explanation
Endosulfan was previously evaluated by the Joint Meetings of
1967, 1968, 1971 and 1974 (FAO/WHO, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975). A
tolerance of 2 mg/kg in fruit was confirmed in 1971. The Codex
Committee on Pesticide Residues at its 6th Session in 1973 requested
that the recommended tolerance of 2 mg/kg on the broad commodity group
fruits be reconsidered with a view to establishing specific tolerances
based on data from member governments (Alinorm 74/24). The 1974 Joint
Meeting on the basis of the data made available, was unable to
recommend individual tolerances on fruits at levels below the existing
recommendation of 2 mg/kg. The 1975 CCPR Meeting reiterated its
request to governments to provide residue data on residues in fruits
and requested the Joint Meeting to recommend tolerances for sorghum,
millet and peanuts (Alinorm 76/24). Some data on endosulfan residues
in strawberries in Belgium were provided to the meeting.
RESIDUES IN FOOD AND THEIR EVALUATION
RESIDUES IN FOOD IN COMMERCE OR AT CONSUMPTION
In 1972 and 1974 a total of 181 strawberry samples were analyzed
for endosulfan (Dejonckheere et al, 1975). The berries and sepals were
analyzed together in 1972 while only the berries were analyzed in
1974. The data are summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1. Endosulfan residues in strawberries
Number of Samples
Residues (range, mg/kg)
Year Total No. No. Positive 0.01-0.1 > 0.1-0.2 > 0.2-0.3 > 0.3
1972 107 18 8 7 2 1
1974 74 19 17 ±1 1 -
The data show that 1 sample contained endosulfan residues in
excess of 0.3 mg/kg, in this case 0.85 mg/kg. Information was not
available to the Meeting on the composition of the endosulfan residues
reported, i.e. total residues of endosulfan A, endosulfan B, and
endosulfan sulfate or residues of endosulfan A and endosulfan B.
No further information on endosulfan residues in fruits or other
commodities was available to the Meeting.
APPRAISAL
The CCPR referred to the Joint Meeting a request that the
recommended 2 mg/kg tolerance (FAO/WHO, 1975) for endosulfan residues
in fruits be re-examined to determine whether tolerances on specific
crops could be recommended and to recommend tolerances for sorghum,
millet and peanuts. One country responded to the request for data with
data on residues in strawberries. The composition of the endosulfan
residues in strawberries was not provided.
The present recommended tolerance (FAO/WHO, 1975) is expressed as
total residues of endosulfan A, endosulfan B, and endosulfan sulfate.
The Joint Meeting was not able to conclude that the data made
available would support an individual tolerance for strawberries. A
recommendation for tolerances for endosulfan residues in sorghum,
millet and peanuts could not be made since residue data on which to
base recommendations was not available to the Meeting.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The tolerances recommended at the 1974 Joint Meeting (FAO/WHO,
1975) are continued, as maximum residue limits.
FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION
DESIRABLE
The request for further work (FAO/WHO, 1975) is reaffirmed.
REFERENCES
Dejonckheere, W., Steurhaut, W., and Kips, R.H. (1975) Pesticide
residues in strawberries. Rijksuniversiteit Gent, Gent, Belgium
(unpublished)
See Also:
Toxicological Abbreviations
Endosulfan (EHC 40, 1984)
Endosulfan (HSG 17, 1988)
Endosulfan (PIM 576)
Endosulfan (FAO Meeting Report PL/1965/10/1)
Endosulfan (FAO/PL:1967/M/11/1)
Endosulfan (FAO/PL:1968/M/9/1)
Endosulfan (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 1)
Endosulfan (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 4)
Endosulfan (Pesticide residues in food: 1982 evaluations)
Endosulfan (Pesticide residues in food: 1989 evaluations Part II Toxicology)
Endosulfan (JMPR Evaluations 1998 Part II Toxicological)