Recent status of organochlorine pesticide residues in foods in Japan.

In Japan, organochlorine compounds, especially BHC, were used in large quantities. Consequently, their accumulation in the human body or in live-stock through feed crops, and the contamination of mother's and cow's milk caused serious public concern. This prompted not only initial stricter regulation of their use but the eventual prohibition of BHC and DDT use in 1971. Fortunately, the contamination of mother's and cow's milk is decreasing by these steps. The Japanese daily BHC intake was 0.57, 0.63 and 1.34 mg./kg. body weight on the average, which is higher than both in England and the United States. But the daily intake of DDT and other organochlorine compounds is the same as or less than in these countries. Two researches in 1971 to 1972 indicate that beta-BHC contained in mother's milk was 0.096 and 0.115 mg./kg. on the average.