Incidence of pesticide residues in adipose tissue of beef, pork and poultry from plants located in Northwestern Mexico

This study involved testing of adipose tissue from beef(208 samples), pork (112 samples) and poultry (39 samples) for pesticide residues, including ni ne different chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHC) and nine organophosphates (OP). Tissues were collected during a two-year period (1996-1997) fi om plants l ocated in the Northwestern Mexico, and determinations conducted by gas chro matography under intel national performance criteria. While none of the por k samples contained CHC residues, 17 (1996) and 11 (1997) beef samples cont ained either hexacholorobenzene, heptachlor, aldrin or dieldrin. Also, poul try samples (three in one year and four in the other;) contained residues o f either hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor ol dieldrin. None of the tissues tes ted contained organophosphate residues above the detection limit. CHC incid ences and concentrations were lower than those reported for other Mexican a nd Latin American regions, but higher than reports from the U.S. Based on t he Mexican or U.S. tolerances, all concentrations of CHC found were nonviol ative.