Pesticide content of infant formulae and weaning foods available in New Zealand

A survey of the pesticide content of 25 commercially available infant formulae and 30 weaning foods available in New Zealand was undertaken in 1996. It included a representative mixture of imported and New Zealand manufactured infant foods. Three different pesticide screening techniques were used: a high-sensitivity organochlorine screen was carried out on all infant formulae, while a multiresidue screen (organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides, synthetic pyrethroids, carbamate pesticides, fungicides and herbicides), and a specific screen for dithiocarbamate fungicides were both carried out on all weaning foods and on soy-based infant formulae. All results are expressed on a ready-to-feed basis. Extremely low levels of residues of three organochlorine compounds (p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT and dieldrin) were detected in infant formulae samples. Residues of p,p'-DDE were found in seven of 20 milk-based infant formulae at concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 0.5 μg kg^-1. Residues of p,p'-DDT were found in one imported milk-based infant formula at 0.7 μg kg^-1, and dieldrin residues were detected in four of five soy-based infant formulae at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.08 μg kg^-1. The multiresidue pesticide screen detected low levels of residues of two organophosphorus pesticides; azinphos-methyl in one soy-based infant formula at a level of 22 μg kg^-1 and pirimiphos-methyl in two cereal-based weaning foods at concentrations of 5 and 14 μg kg^-1. None of the other approximately 140 pesticides (including fungicides and herbicides) included in the multiresidue screen were detected in any weaning foods or soy-based infant formulae, at a detection limit of 10 μg kg^-1. No residues of dithiocarbamate fungicides were detected in any product analysed, at a detection limit of 100 μg kg^-1.