LINDANE JMPR 1978
Explanation
Lindane was first evaluated In 1965 (FAO/WHO, 1965b) and
re-evaluated at intervals thereafter (FAO/WHO, 1967b, 1968b, 1969b,
1970b, 1972b, 1974b, 1975b, 1976b, 1978b). An early request from
the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues was for information
relating to cocoa beans and cocoa products. Data received in 1975
resulted in a recommended MRL for cocoa beans of 1 mg/kg. The
present Meeting received further information on cocoa products
which is evaluated below. Additionally, available information on
lindane residues in dairy products wee re-examined in the light of
the existing use patterns.
RESIDUES IN FOOD AND THEIR EVALUATION
RESIDUES IN FOOD MOVING IN COMMERCE
Dairy products
Previous evaluations of lindane and HCH (formerly referred to
as BHC) were examined for information on residues in milk and milk
products with the results shown in Table 1.
From these it was estimated that a maximum residue limit of
0.01 mg/kg for whole milk (expressed on the whole product because
milk contains less than 8% fat), equivalent to 0.2 mg/kg (fat
basis), would be more appropriate than the current recommended
value of 0.1 mg/kg (fat basis).
Cocoa beans and cocoa products
The Meeting was provided with Information collected by the
Cocoa, Chocolate and Confectionary Alliance on residues in cocoa
beans and cocoa products in commerce which is summarized in Tables
2-5.
APPRAISAL
The Meeting received the information on residue levels
occurring in cocoa beans and cocoa products in commerce listed as
desirable by the Joint Meeting in 1973. It was noted that an MRL of
1 mg/kg in cocoa beans was recommended by the Meeting in 1975 but
the detailed data were not presented in the monograph. The present
data support the previous MRL for cocoa beans and indicate that the
value of 1 mg/kg would be unlikely to be exceeded by cocoa products
in commerce.
Information was received from several sources on the
increasing need for the direct application of lindane to meat and
dairy animals, especially in tropical areas, for the control of
ectoparasites. This use pattern can lead to significant short-term
TABLE 1. Summary of previously evaluated information on residues of lindane in dairy products
Commodity Number of samples Range Source
containing residues mg/kg
Milk (fat basis) 60 0.001 - 0.18 FAO/WHO, 1976 p. 137
Butter 138 0.001 - 0.40 FAO/WHO, 1976 p. 137
Milk (whole) not specified mean = 0.006 FAO/WHO, 1968 p. 170
Butter not specified 0.01 - 0.07 FAO/WHO, 1968 p. 170
Dairy products 42% 0.001 - 0.01 FAO/WHO, 1969 p. 22
Dairy products not specified domestic 0.005 FAO/WHO, 1969 p. 24
imported 0.01
Milk not specified 0.001 - 0.004 FAO/WHO, 1969 p. 25
Milk (fat basis) 260 maximum 0.11 FAO/WHO, 1969 p. 25
average 0.02
Butter 260 average 0.01 FAO/WHO, 1969 p. 25
Milk fat 133 0.006 - 0.157 WHO/FAO, 1974b p. 320
Raw milk not specified trace 0.03 WHO/FAO, 1974b p. 320
Milk not specified 0.01 - 0.22 WHO/FAO, 1974b p. 320
Butter not specified 0.01 - 0.46 WHO/FAO, 1974b p. 321
TABLE 2. Lindane residues in unroasted cocoa beans
Class range, mg/kg - No. samples in each
Origin Not nd 0.001- 0.011- 0.031- 0.051- 0.101- 0.201- 0.301
Determined 0.010 0.030 0.050 0.100 0.200 0.300 0.400
GHANA 11 6 1 2
15 4 1 1
2 3 5 7 3
NIGERIA 4 1 6 2 1
2 13 1 1 1
4 2 6 3 4 1 1
GRANADA 2 2
1 1 1
NEW GUINEA 1 1
1 3 1
ECUADOR 2 2 2 1
TRINIDAD 2 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
JAMAICA 1 1
2 1
BRAZIL 1 1 1
CAMEROON 1 1 1
WEST AFRICA 2
MALAYA 1
SIERRA LEONE 1
IVORY COAST 1
MIXED ORIGIN 3 1 2
TOTALS 15 43 39 35 9 13 5 5 2
nd = < 0.001 mg/kg
TABLE 3. Lindane residues in roasted cocoa beans
Origin Total no. of Range, mg/kg - Actual value, mg/kg
samples analysed no. of samples in
each
nd 0.051
0.100
ECUADOR 3 1 2
TRINIDAD 1 1
1 0.014
JAMAICA 1 0.013
GRANADA 1 0.018
NEW GUINEA 1 0.010
IVORY COAST 1 0.017
NIGERIA 1 0.048
1 0.006
CWA 1 0.064
GHANA 1 0.007
TABLE 4. Lindane residues in cocoa mass
Range, mg/kg. No. of samples in each
Origin 0.001- 0.011- 0.031- 0.051- 0.101- 0.501- Actual value,
0.010 0.030 0.050 0.100 0.200 0.600 mg/kg
UNKNOWN 1 0.003
GHANA 1 0.038
NIGERIA 1 0.018
WEST AFRICA 11 5 Range =
21 19 23 16 1 0.002-0.018
Range =
0.001-0.530
TABLE 5. Lindane residues in cocoa butter
Range, mg/kg. No. of samples in each
Origin Total no. of nd 0.001- 0.011- 0.031- 0.051- 0.101- 0.201 Actual
samples analysed 0.010 0.030 0.050 0.100 0.200 0.300 value
mg/kg
UNKNOWN 5 2 1 1 1 Range =
nd-0.140
NIGERIA 1 1 <0.001
1 1 0.027
GHANA 1 1 0.057
WEST AFRICA 1 1 0.019
1 1 0.027
13 2 5 3 3 Range =
0.020-
0.160
1 1 0.120
1 1 0.200
1 0.390
4 1 3 Range =
0.031-
0.058
40 6 11 5 8 9 1 Range =
0.003-
0.210
83 5 6 37 28 7 Range =
0.001-
0.290
SOUTH AFRICA 1 2.5
1 2.3
4 4 Range =
0.012-
0.022
residues in milk from individual animals or specific herds, but the
practice of blending milk from many herds in commercial dairies would
normally be expected to reduce the residues to less than the
extraneous residue limit of 0.2 mg/kg in milk (fat basis) currently
recommended by the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues. The Meeting
recognized the need to increase the previously recommended limit for
milk from 0.1 mg/kg (fat basis) to 0.2 mg/kg to reflect the continued
wide use of lindane directly on lactating animals. However, such use
is not considered good agricultural practice in many countries
(FAO/WHO, 1974b, p. 321). A re-examination of all previous data on
milk residues supplied to the Meeting showed that a maximum residue
limit of 0.01 mg/kg in whole milk could be recommended. This figure
is equivalent to 0.2 mg/kg on a fat basis.
The recommendations which follow apply only to residues arising
from the use of lindane and not to those arising from the use of HCH
(formerly referred to as BHC mixed isomers), which should be
discouraged.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Owing to a change in use pattern, the extraneous residue limits
for milk and milk products are reclassified as maximum residue limits.
The limit for milk is increased and expressed on a whole milk basis.
Additional MRLs are recommended for cocoa butter and cocoa mass.
Commodity Maximum residue limit, mg/kg
Milk (whole) 0.01
Milk products (fat basis) 0.12
Cocoa butter 1
Cocoa mass 1
FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION
Desirable
1. Results from supervised trials on the direct application of
lindane to dairy animals in a manner needed for ectoparasite control
and the resulting residues in milk from single animals, herds and
commercial dairies.
REFERENCE
Anonymous Data collected by the Cocoa, Chocolate, and Confectionery
(1978) Alliance submitted by J.M. Lynés, Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, UK.
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 (FAO/PL:1969/M/17/1)
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: 1979 evaluations)
Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1989 evaluations Part II Toxicology)
Lindane (Pesticide residues in food: 1997 evaluations Part II Toxicological & Environmental)