In spite of several quality control procedures used by Australia to ensure the wholesomeness of export meat, a number of pesticide residue violations were identified in the Australian product exported to the USA in May 1987. The pesticides involved were the organochlorines, dieldrin and heptachlor. The problems were caused by the persistence of organochlorines in soils and their illicit use or contamination of storage facilities. Animals grazing contaminated pasture, ingesting contaminated feed or held in contaminated yards over a period, bioaccumulated residues in their adipose tissues which eventually exceeded maximum residue limits (MRL) and caused violations. Though there was no immediate public health risk, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) of the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industries and Energy (DPIE), acted expeditiously to determine and eliminate the factors causing these problems, which threatened Australia's beef export industry worth in excess of two billion dollars annually. An overall strategic plan, "The Integrated Action Plan", was formulated and implemented by AQIS with the assistance of the relevant Departments of the States and the Northern Territory (NT), meat processing and export industries and livestock producer bodies. As a result of this action, the likely sources of contamination were identified and controlled. The National Residue Survey (NRS) was enhanced, a National Residue Data Base (NRDB) was established and a centralised computer system interactive with abattoirs, laboratories and animal health authorities developed. The cattle farm identity tail tag system already in place, capable of tracing cattle to the farm of origin was refined and trace back systems for sheep and pigs were utilised.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
On several occasions in 1987 Australian meat was reported by overseas countries to contain unacceptable levels of pesticide residues. Investigations revealed that the residues were mainly the organochlorine compounds DDT, dieldrin and heptachlor, the concentrations of which exceeded the maximum residue limits. The organochlorines had accumulated in the soil of farms where they were used annually, or more frequently, owing to their long half-life in soils, and grazing animals had accumulated the pesticides in their adipose tissues. Removing the animals to non-contaminated pastures did not reduce the residue levels for some time because their half-lives in the adipose tissues ranged from two to three months. When the problem was recognised action was taken by the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industries and Energy and the relevant Departments of the States and the Northern Territory to identify the affected properties and animals. The affected farms were quarantined and the animals detained until the residue levels were depleted adequately. The use of DDT was banned and dieldrin and heptachlor were permitted to be used only for the control of termites in buildings. Following this action the proportion of samples of beef with residue levels above the permitted limits decreased from 0.42 per cent in 1986/87 to 0.22 per cent in 1987/88.
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