RESIDUES OF POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS (PCB) IN FATTY FOODS OF THE CANADIAN DIET

Market basket samples representative of food from six Canadian cities were surveyed from 1992 to 1996. Fifty composites of fatty foods, prep ared for consumption were analysed for 40 PCB congeners by gas chromat ography-mass spectrometry. Fish and butter contained the highest total PCB concentrations, while milk and infant foods contained the lowest. The dairy and meat composites were major contributors to the total PC B intake of 5.7ng/kg/day, and to the TEQ (2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-p-dibenz odioxin equivalent) intake of 0.11 pg/kg/day. The pattern of congeners was similar for the different food groups with the exception of fish, which contained less tri-and tetra-chlorinated biphenyls and more of the hexachlorinated congener No. 153.