Importance of Feed as an Unavoidable Source of Pesticide Contamination in Poultry Meat and Eggs

Abstract

General and broad occurrences of minute organochlorine pesticide residues were indicated in feedstuffs used in poultry feeds in the United States. Corn, soybean meal, alfalfa meal, fish meal, and fat samples were collected and submitted bimonthly over a 24 month period from Maine, Georgia, Texas, Ohio, and California and analyzed for aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, lindane, DDE, DDD, o,p-DDT, p,p'-DDT, and methoxychlor. Concentration of individual pesticides when occurring were generally in the range of 10 to 50 p.p.b. although higher concentrations occasionally occurred. DDT and its metabolites were the most frequently occurring organochlorine pesticides detected. The highest concentration and frequency of residues detected were associated with fish meal and fat samples. Occurrence of residues in corn and soybean meal was generally infrequent and at very low concentrations. The presence of pesticide residues was very closely correlated with the areas of high crop production and hence greater pesticide use. In general it appears that poultry feeds formulated from feedstuff sources as analyzed in this study (corn and soybean meal constituting by far the major part of the poultry ration) would not contain organochlorine pesticide residues large enough to cause any major contamination problems with poultry products.

Importance of Feed as an Unavoidable Source of Pesticide Contamination in Poultry Meat and Eggs

“…Based upon the pesticide residue levels observed in collected feed ingredient samples (Waldron and Naber, 1974), poultry rations were fortified at three concentration levels with different organochlorine pesticides. Duplicate groups of 3 laying hens each were fed for 32 weeks on diets containing an individual pesticide at one of the following concentration levels: DDT-5.0,0.5, and 0.05 p.p.m.…”

“…Representative subsamples of eggs and poultry tissues were analyzed by methods similar to those used for feed ingredients (Waldron and Naber, 1974).…”

“…volume by flash evaporation prior to further clean up on the florisil column. Column cleanup and elution and gas chromatographic analysis was accomplished by the procedures outlined previously for residue analysis of corn and soybeans (Waldron and Naber, 1974).…”

“…Waldron and Naber, 1974) indicates a need to evaluate the effects of extended exposure of poultry to such low-level contamination. At present, no finite tolerance for organochlorine pesticide residues in eggs exists and the tolerance generally used for poultry tissues is based upon that established for meat animals.…”

“…and The Ohio State University investigations, cited previously, have determined that the occurrence of minute contamination of poultry feedstuffs with certain pesticide residues is quite common in the United States. Even though concentration level of such contamination in poultry feedstuffs is very small (Waldron and Naber, 1974), evaluation of the accumulative effects of chronic exposure of laying hens and broilers to pesticide residues over an extended period of time is essential both from the viewpoint of effect on the health of the chicken and the accumulation of residues in edible products. Such information would thus be beneficial in providing legal protection for the poultryman who could become a victim of circumstances beyond his control and also establishing pesticide residue tolerance levels that are assured of protecting the consuming public.…”