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    PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD - 1980


    Sponsored jointly by FAO and WHO






    EVALUATIONS 1980





    Joint meeting of the
    FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues
    in Food and the Environment
    and the
    WHO Expert Group on Pesticide Residues
    Rome, 6-15 October 1980




    SEC - BUTYLAMINE

    Explanation

    The Meeting considered a request from the 12th Session of the Codex
    Committee on Pesticide Residues (FAO/WHO 1980) to re-evaluate the
    levels in dried citrus pulp and citrus molasses in the light of
    additional data provided by governments, with a view to revising
    the MRLs on those commodities, if appropriate.

    RESIDUES IN FOOD

    USE PATTERN

    Post-harvest treatments

    Information was received from Australia on post-harvest uses of
    sec-butylamine on citrus fruits, pome fruits and bananas.  The
    usual treatments consist of (1) 0.5% bulk bin dip of citrus and
    pome fruits, (2) 1% dip of bananas packaged in wooden boxes, (3) 1%
    flood of citrus fruits and bananas on the packing line, and (4) a
    combined 0.5% dip and 1% flood of citrus fruits (Singh, G., et
    al., 1979).

    In the United States the registered label directions for use on
    citrus fruits (post-harvest) are: apply a single dip or drench of
    either a 0.5% or a 1% aqueous solution.  Alternately a single spray
    application of a 2% aqueous solution to cleaned fruit followed by
    drying may be used.  If necessary, the pH of the solutions is
    adjusted to 8.0-9.0 by adding phosphoric acid (United States,
    1980).

    RESIDUES RESULTING FROM SUPERVISED TRIALS

    Data from Australia on the results of supervised trials using
    commercial post-harvest treatments on citrus fruits, pome fruits,
    and bananas are summarized in Table 1.  Residues on whole fruit
    were highest from a bulk dip in a 0.5% solution of sec-butylamine
    and reached the following values (mg/kg): oranges-4.54 (Valencia)
    and 7.65 (Navel), tangors-6.10, mandarins-10.20, grapefruits-3.85
    (Marsh) and 5.20 (Wheeny), lemons-10.70, apples-2.75 (Jonathan),
    3.61 (Delicious) and 3.04 (Granny Smith), pears-11.20 (Packham's
    Triumph) and 11.60 (Beurre Boss), bananas (Cavendish, 2 dips)-27.7
    (whole ripe), 62.7 (Peel) and 1.06 (pulp) (Singh, G., et
    al.,1979).

    TABLE 1.  Sec-butylamine residues on citrus fruits, pome fruits,
    and bananas following post harvest treatments

                                                                      
    Commodity             Treatment              Residue, mg/kg
                          (whole fruit)
                                                                      
    Oranges               Dip, 0.5% ai                4.54
    (Valencia)            Flood, 1% ai                0.88
                          Dip + flood                 3.39

    Oranges               Dip, 0.5% ai                7.65
    (Navel)               Flood, 1% ai                2.25
                          Dip + flood                 3.20

    Tangor                Dip, 0.5% ai                6.10
                          Flood, 1% ai                2.25
                          Dip + flood                 2.85

    Mandarin              Dip, 0.5% ai               10.20
                          Flood, 1% ai                2.35
                          Dip + flood                 3.35

    Grapefruit            Dip, 0.5%. ai               3.85
    (Marsh)               Flood, 1% ai                1.55
                          Dip + flood                 1.55

    Grapefruit            Dip, 0.5% ai                5.20
    (Wheeny)              Flood, 1% ai                1.10
                          Dip + flood                 2.50

    Lemons                Dip, 0.5%                  10.70
                          Flood, 1% ai                1.14
                          Dip + flood                 2.86

    Apples
    (Jonathan)            Dip                         2.75
    (Delicious)           Dip                         3.61
    (Granny Smith)        Dip                         3.04


    Pears
    (Packham's Truimph)   Dip                        11.20
    (Beurre Bosc)         Dip                        11.60


    Bananas
    (Cavendish)           2 Dips                     27.3 (green)
                                                     27.3 (ripe)
                                                     62.7 (peel only)
                                                      1.1 (pulp only)
                                                                      

    TABLE 1.  Continued...

                                                                      
    Commodity             Treatment              Residue, mg/kg
                          (whole fruit)
                                                                      
    Bananas               3 Floods                   15.1 (green)
    (Cavendish) cont'd                               15.2 (ripe)
                                                     35.6 (peal only)
                                                      0.3 (pulp only)
                                                                      

    Tests were conducted in the United States during 1967 and 1968 in
    which oranges were treated with either a field drench of 1% ai, a line
    drench of 1% ai, or both.  Residues in the dried peel of navel oranges
    ranged from 105 to 125 mg/kg from the 1% field drench, 23.0 to 23.4
    mg/kg from the 1% line drench, and 56.4 to 66.3 mg/kg from the
    combined treatment.  The residue in dried cattle feed (peel) of
    Valencia orange was 60.0 mg/kg while in molasses it was 14.8 mg/kg
    (Table 2) ( United States, 1980).

    In two separate experiments carried out during 1975, residues in the
    dried pulp of treated (treatment unspecified) lemons and oranges were
    93.0 mg/kg and 81.1 mg/kg respectively, while in the dried peel of
    lemons and oranges treated by a commercial packing box or bin drench
    of 1 or 2% ai they were 125 mg/kg and 50.1 mg/kg respectively (United
    States, 1980).

    Data from supervised trials carried out during 1965-1968 on residues
    in by-products of oranges and grapefruit treated with 1 or 2% ai dips
    or drenches were reviewed.  Residues in molasses ranged from 13.1 to
    27.8 mg/kg, while in dried pulp and meal the range was 16.2 to 48.3
    mg/kg (FAO/WHO, 1977; United States, 1980).

        TABLE 2.  Residues of sec-butylamine in citrus fruits and products
    following commercial treatments

                                                                                     
    Commodity           Treatment          Product                Residues, mg/kg
                                                                                     

    Navel oranges       Control            Fresh (whole)          1.7, 2.6
                                           Dried peel             4.3, 5.2
                        Field drench,      Fresh (whole)          12.5, 16.0
                        1% ai              Dried peel             105, 125
                        Line drench,       Fresh (whole)          3.1, 3.4
                        1% ai              Dried peel             23.0, 23.4
                        Both field &       Fresh (whole)          8.0, 8.9
                        line drenches      Dried peel             56.4, 66.3

    Valencia oranges    Drench,            Wholefruit, before     15.4, 14.8, 12.6
                                           wash
                        line,              Wholefruit, after
                                           wash                   15.1, 12.4, 11.4
                        0.9% ai            Fresh peel             31.2
                                           Press peel             20.5, 23.1, 22.9, 20.3
                                           Press liquor           3.2, 2.0
                                           Conc. press liquid     13.2
                                           Molasses               14.8
                                           Dried cattle feed      60.0
                                           Oil                    1.3
                                           Oil process
                                           liquid                 3.0

    Navel oranges       Control            Fresh fruit
                                           whole                  0.86, 0.90
                                           Air dried              10.1, 10.2
                                           Vacuum dried           9.6, 11.0

                        Drench,            Fresh fruit,
                                           whole,                 14.0, 14.5
                        line,              Air dried              105.4, 108.6
                        1%                 Vacuum dried           92.8, 105.3
                                                                                     
    
    NATIONAL TOLERANCES REPORTED TO THE MEETING

    It was noted that the correct national tolerance for residues of
    sec-butylamine in citrus molasses and dried citrus pulp for cattle
    feed given in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations was 90 mg/kg, not
    50 mg/kg as reported by the Meeting in 1975 (FAO/WHO, 1977; United
    States, 1977).


    EVALUATION

    APPRAISAL

    The meeting considered a request from the 12th Session of the Codex
    Committee on Pesticide Residues to re-evaluate the levels in dried
    citrus pulp and citrus molasses in the light of additional data
    provided by governments, with a view to revising the MRLs on those
    commodities, if appropriate.

    Information was available giving approved use patterns for
    post-harvest treatments on citrus, pome fruits and bananas along with
    data from supervised trials on the same commodities.  Residues on
    whole fruit were highest from a bulk dip in a 0.5% solution of
    sec-butylamine and reached the following values (mg/kg):
    oranges-4.54 (Valencia) and 7.65 (Navel), tangors-6.10,
    mandarins-10.20, grapefruits-3.85 (Marsh) and 5.20 (Wheeny),
    lemons-10.70, apples-2.75 (Jonathan), 3.61 (Delicious) and 3.04
    (Granny Smith), pears-11.20 (Packham's Triumph) and 11.60 (Beurre
    Boss), bananas (Cavendish, 2 dips)-27.7 (whole ripe), 62.7 (peel) and
    1.06 (pulp).

    Information was available on registered post-harvest uses on citrus in
    the USA and on the residues resulting from supervised trials on citrus
    fruits and by-products used as cattle feed and pointing out that the
    national tolerances reported for the United States in the 1975
    Evaluation (FAO/WHO, 1976a) are in error.

    Tests were carried out in 1967 in which oranges were treated with
    either a field drench of 1% ai, a line drench of 1% ai, or both.
    Residues in the dried peel of Navel oranges ranged from 105 to 125
    mg/kg from the 1% field drench, 23.0 to 23.4 mg/kg from the 1% line
    drench, and 56.4 to 66.3 mg/kg from the combined treatment.  The
    residue in dried cattle feed (peel) of Valencia oranges was 60.0 mg/kg
    while in molasses it was 14.8 mg/kg.

    In two separate experiments carried out during 1975, residues in the
    dried pulp of treated (treatment unspecified) lemons and oranges were
    93.0 mg/kg and 81.1 mg/kg respectively, while in the dried peel of
    lemons and oranges treated by a commercial packing box or bin drench
    of 1 or 2% ai they were 125 mg/kg and 50.1 mg/kg respectively.

    Data from supervised trials carried out during 1965-1968 on residues
    in citrus by-products produced from treatment of oranges and

    grapefruit with 1 or 2% ai dips or drenches were reviewed.  Residues
    in molasses ranged from 13.1 to 27.8 mg/kg while in dried pulp and
    meal the range was 16.2 to 48.3 mg/kg.

    It was noted that from a copy of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations,
    April 1, 1977 revision, section 561.60, that the correct national
    tolerance for residues of sec-butylamine in citrus molasses and
    dried citrus pulp for cattle feed was 90 mg/kg.

    From a consideration of all of the available data it was concluded
    that the existing figure for the maximum residue limit of
    sec-butylamine in dried citrus pulp should be increased to 100
    mg/kg.  The additional data on residues in pome fruits and bananas
    were insufficient to support recommendations.

    RECOMMENDATIONS OF RESIDUES LIMITS

    It is recommended that the maximum residue limit for residues of
    sec-butylamine in dried citrus pulp be increased from 50 mg/kg to
    100 mg/kg.  A maximum residue level of 50 mg/kg in citrus molasses is
    unlikely to be exceeded and is retained as a maximum residue limit.

    Commodity           Maximum residue limit, mg/kg

    Dried citrus pulp             100

    Citrus molasses               50

    REFERENCES

    Singh, G., Rippony L.E., Gilbert, W.S. and Ahmad, N. Sec-butylamine
    residues in citrus, pome fruits, and bananas from post-harvest
    treatments. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. Anim. Husb. 19, 118-121.

    United States. Collected unpublished reports and test data on residues
    of sec-butylamine in citrus and citrus by-products, 1967-1975;
    (1980).

    United States. Code of Federal Regulations, 21, Food and Drugs, Parts
    500 to 599, April 1, 1977 revision, section 561.60.
    


    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Butylamine, sec- (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 5)
       Butylamine, sec- (Pesticide residues in food: 1977 evaluations)
       Butylamine, sec- (Pesticide residues in food: 1978 evaluations)
       Butylamine, sec- (Pesticide residues in food: 1979 evaluations)
       Butylamine, sec- (Pesticide residues in food: 1981 evaluations)