Monitoring of organochlorine pesticide residues--the GEMS/Food program in China.

This paper covers the monitoring activities of organochlorine (OCS) pesticide residues in the GEMS/Food program, which China took part in for the first time in 1992. The levels of HCH and DDT were determined in 355 samples of eight main varieties of food, taken from five provinces and cities. The results show that the positive rate of HCH is 69%, of which 99.44% is in accord with the National Standards of Food Hygiene of China. As to DDT, the two rates are 42% and 100% respectively. The daily intakes of HCH and DDT are 0.22 mg/kg.bw and 0.54 mg/kg.bw respectively, which are far below their corresponding ADls. Compared with those in 1970s, the OCS residues have decreased significantly. Therefore the monitored varieties of food are safe to people's health.