Survey of pesticide residues in imported cereal products (1994.4 approximately 2006.3)]

A survey of pesticide residues in 490 imported cereal products on the Tokyo market from April 1994 to March 2006 was carried out. Eight kinds of organophosphorus pesticides (chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, DDVP, diazinon, etrimfos, malathion, MEP and pirimiphos-methyl) were detected at levels between Tr (below 0.01 ppm) and 0.82 ppm from 91 samples. In our investigations, chlorpyrifos-methyl and malathion tended to be detected in samples from America, pirimiphos-methyl in those from Europe, and MEP in those from Oceania. Thus, pesticide residues seemed to be different in produce from different areas. Residue levels of these pesticides were calculated as between 0.08 and 13.2% of their ADI values according to the daily intake of cereal products. Therefore, these cereal products should be safe for normal usage.