Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in contaminated swine tissue

in 1999 an accidental contamination of feed occurred in Belgium. This incid ent lead Authorities to increase monitoring levels of polychlorinated biphe nyls (PCB) in food of animal origin. In our Department 220 samples of swine tissues, meat and adipose tissue, were analysed. The Quantitation of PCB w as made from the sum of 7 congeners obtained by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. Confirmatory analysis was performed by gas chrom atography/mass spectrometry. The PCBs in the majority of samples were close to the method limit of detection and only a few samples had PCB concentrat ions > the limit of quantitation. In those tissues the average concentratio n of PCBs was 0.035 mg/kg. The legal limit of 0.200 mg PCB/kg established b y the European Union was exceeded by only 1 sample, a smoked ham from Belgi um. This sample showed the presence of all selected congeners. We report th e profile of the PCB congeners in this sample.