Monitoring of Milk and Milk Products for BDT and HCH Contamination

Milk (bovine and human) and milk product (butter and baby food milk powder) samples (100) were monitored for possible contamination due to DDT and HCH residues. Out of 50 bovine milk samples, 29 contained DDT (mean 0.040+0.002 ug/ml) and all the 50 contained HCH (mean 0.078±0.042 ug/ml) residues. DDT residues were above Maximum Residue Limits in five of the samples whereas 15 samples contained HCH residues above MRL. Eight out of 10 human milk samples showed presence of DDT (mean 0.071±0.032 ug/ml) whereas all the 10 samples were found contaminated with HCH (mean 0.157±0.042 ug/ml). All the baby food milk powder and butter samples were highly contaminated with DDT and HCH. The mean residues of 0.99±0.245 ug/g DDT and 1.084±0.452 ug/g HCH were detected in butter samples. However, DDT and HCH were above MRL in 5 and 12 samples, respectively. The magnitude of contamination was quite alarming in baby food milk samples (mean 0.744±0.232 ug/ml DDT and 0.362±0.0.086 ug/ml HCH). The possible sources of their entry have been postulated.and exemplified.