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A method of rapid analysis of multi-class residual veterinary drugs in milk, fish and shellfish was validated in accordance with Japanese guidelines for the validation of analytical methods for residual agricultural chemicals in food. Using LC-MS/MS, 43 multi-class veterinary drugs, including sulfonamides, quinolones, coccidiostats and antiparasites, could be analyzed in one injection. Analytes were extracted from samples with two kinds of solvent, acetonitrile containing 1 vol% formic acid and anhydrous acetonitrile, and salted out with 4.0 g of magnesium sulfate, 1.5 g of trisodium citrate and 2.0 g of sodium chloride. This method was assessed by performing recovery tests in retail milk and 4 kinds of fresh cultured fish and shellfish (salmon, tiger shrimp, red sea bream and bastard halibut) spiked with the 43 target analytes at the levels of 10 and 100 μg/kg. Using this method, 40 out of 43 drugs satisfied the guideline criteria in milk, 37 drugs in salmon, 42 drugs in tiger shrimp, 41 drugs in red sea bream and 39 drugs in bastard halibut.

A simple analytical method was developed for the determination of total bromine in fruits and grain products by means of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (WDXRF).Five gram samples of fresh fruits, frozen fruits, dried fruits and grain products were extracted with distilled water twice and diluted to 25 mL with distilled water. The sample solution (0.5 mL) was dripped onto the filter paper, which was dried and analyzed by WDXRF. The working curve was linear in the range of 0 to 10 microg/mL. Recoveries at the level of 5 microg/g were 76-104%. The detection limit was 0.5 microg/g and the determination limit was 1.5 microg/g in foods. Compared to the GC-ECD method, this method gave equivalent results for fresh fruits, frozen fruits and grain products. In addition, some dried fruits, in which a slightly high level was detected, gave almost the same results with the GC-ECD method. Therefore, this method is considered to be available as an alternative to the GC-ECD method.

A method for the determination of hymexazol in agricultural produdcts by gas chromatography with a highly sensitive nitrogen-phosphorus detector (GC-NPD) was investigated. Hymexazol was extracted with acetonitrile, and the acetonitrile layer was separated by salting-out. The water layer was loaded onto a Chem-Elut column. Hymexazol in the water layer was adsorbed on the column, and eluted with ethyl acetate. The acetonitrile layer and the eluate were mixed and evaporated. The residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate, and the sample solution was cleaned up on a C18 column. Hymexazol in the eluate was analyzed by GC-NPD with a high-polarity capillary column (DB-FFAP) and highly deactivated inlet liner. Recoveries of hymexazol spiked in agricultural products (tomato, lemon, soybean and other samples) at the level of 0.1 mug/g ranged from 65.0 to 84.7%. The limit of detection was 0.02microg/g.

A survey of pesticide residues in 490 imported cereal products on the Tokyo market from April 1994 to March 2006 was carried out. Eight kinds of organophosphorus pesticides (chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, DDVP, diazinon, etrimfos, malathion, MEP and pirimiphos-methyl) were detected at levels between Tr (below 0.01 ppm) and 0.82 ppm from 91 samples. In our investigations, chlorpyrifos-methyl and malathion tended to be detected in samples from America, pirimiphos-methyl in those from Europe, and MEP in those from Oceania. Thus, pesticide residues seemed to be different in produce from different areas. Residue levels of these pesticides were calculated as between 0.08 and 13.2% of their ADI values according to the daily intake of cereal products. Therefore, these cereal products should be safe for normal usage.

A survey of pesticide residues in 316 baby foods on the Tokyo market from April 1999 to June 2005 was carried out. Fifteen kinds of pesticides, including organophosphorus, organochlorine, carbamate, pyrethroid and others, were detected between at levels Tr (below 0.01 ppm) and 0.55 ppm from 28 samples. The baby foods in which residual pesticides were detected were produced from flour, leaf vegetable and fruits. The pesticides were detected in baby foods produced with minimal processing, such as straining and squeezing. For the baby foods containing pesticides, the amounts of intake of the pesticides were calculated from the recommended servings, and compared with the ADI values. Residual pesticide levels in baby food were between 0.06 and 16.6% of the ADI. Therefore, these foods should be safe in normal usage.

A simplified method for the determination of forchlorfenuron in agricultural products by HPLC with UV detection was investigated. A chopped sample homogenate from agricultural products was extracted with acetone. The extract was filtrated and concentrated. The residues was loaded onto a Chem Elut column and extracted with ethyl acetate. The crude extract was purified on Oasis HLB and Bond Elut PSA mini-columns using a mixture of methanol and ethyl acetate. Forchlorfenuron was analyzed by HPLC with UV detection (263 nm). HPLC separation was performed on an ODS column with methanol-water as the mobile phase. Recoveries of forchlorfenuron from several agricultural products fortified at the level of 0.1 microg/g were in the range of 87.6-99.5%. The limit of detection (S/N=3) was 0.005 microg/g in the sample.

Pesictide residues in 343 samples of domestic rice and 32 samples of imported rice purchased on the Tokyo market from April 1995 to March 2005 were investigated. Residues of eleven kinds of pesticides (including organophosphorus, organochlorine, carbamate, pyrethroid and organonitrogen pesticides and bromide) were detected at levels between trace and 1 ppm in 47 domestic rice samples. DDVP and bromide residues were detected at levels between 0.01 ppm and 5 ppm in 18 imported rice samples. For rice samples that were found to containing pesticides, the amounts of pesticide intake were calculated according to the daily intake of rice, and they were compared with the ADI values. Since residual pesticide levels were 17/10,000-2/5 of ADI, all the rice samples were considered to be safe for human consumption.

An analytical method for the determination of 32 kinds of pesticide residues in onions, Welsh onions and mushrooms using gas chromatograph with an atomic emission detector (GC-AED) was developed. The pesticides were extracted with acetone-n-hexane (2:3) mixture. The crude extract was partitioned between 5% sodium chloride and ethyl acetate-n-hexane (1:4) mixture. The extract was passed through a Florisil mini-column for cleanup with 10 mL of acetone-n-hexane (1:9) mixture. Although the sensitivity of GC-AED was inferior to that of GC-ECD, GC-AED has a superior element-selectivity. Therefore pesticide residues in foods could be analyzed more exactly by using GC-AED. Thirty-two pesticides including chlorine in onion, Welsh onion and shiitake mushroom were detected without interference. Recoveries of these pesticides from samples determined by GC-AED were 64-114%, except for a few pesticides.

Four unknown peaks were detected in GC chromatograms during analysis of organophosphorus pesticide residues in foods. They were identified by using GC/MS as triethyl phosphate (TEP), tributyl phosphate (TBP), diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate (DPEHP) and N-ethyltoluenesulfoneamide (NETSA), which are used as plasticizers or flame retardants in food packaging. These chemical substances were detected in the range of tr. (below 0.01 microg/g) to 11 micro/g from 29 samples, and they were also detected in the packaging. It was supposed that they were transferred to the foods from the packaging. Furthermore, they were detected in some cereals and cereal products which contain fat and had been preserved for a long time.

A simple and rapid method is described for the determination of the non-registered pesticides, captafol, quintozene (PCNB), cyhexatin and 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA), in fruits. These pesticides were extracted with acidified acetone, then captafol and PCNB were purified with a Florisil mini column and analyzed by GC-ECD. Cyhexatin was ethylated with ethylmagnesium bromide, and the ethyl derivative was analyzed by GC-FPD (Sn filter). NAA was purified with liquid-liquid extraction and determined by HPLC equipped with a fluorescence detector. These analytes were identified with GC/MS or LC/MS. The minimum identified concentration of the pesticides was below 0.2 ng per injection, which corresponds to a detection limit of below 0.02 microgram/g in the original samples. Recoveries of the pesticides spiked at 0.1 microgram/g into apple, Japanese pear and melon were greater than 61%.

A simplified simultaneous analytical method of imazalil (IZ) and its major metabolite, alpha-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol (IZM), in citrus fruits was developed, and commodities samples were investigated. A homogenate of citrus fruits was extracted with ethyl acetate under basic conditions. The crude extract was partitioned between 0.025 mol/L of sulfuric acid and ethyl acetate. The analytes were extracted from the aqueous fraction under basic conditions with ethyl acetate. The extract solution was purified with an ENVI-Carb cartridge, and then analyzed by GC-FTD and GC/MS. Recoveries of IZ and IZM added to grapefruit at the level of 0.05 microgram/g were 90.0 and 108.7%, and those in the case of lemon were 100.4 and 93.0%, respectively. The detection limits were 0.01 microgram/g in samples. By this method, IZ and IZM were analyzed in 46 citrus fruits on the market and were detected simultaneously in some samples.

An unknown peak was detected in a GC chromatogram of many kiwi fruit extracts during analysis for pesticide residues. It was identified by GC/MS as diphenyl 2-ethylhexyl phosphate (DPEHP), used as a plasticizer and flame retardant. The concentration of DPEHP was investigated in 15 samples of kiwi fruit, and it was detected at between 0.02 and 0.14 microgram/g in 10 of the samples. It might be due to migration of DPEHP into the fruit from the printed portion of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) package.

A simplified HPLC determination method for maleic hydrazide in agricultural products was developed, and commercial agricultural crops were investigated. The homogenate of agricultural products was extracted with water. The crude extract was purified on an ACCUCAT Bond Elut extraction cartridge using water. Maleic hydrazide was analyzed by HPLC with UV detection (303 nm). The HPLC separation was performed on a ZORBAX SB-Aq column with acetonitrile-water-phosphoric acid(5:95:0.01) as the mobile phase. Recoveries of maleic hydrazide from 15 agricultural products fortified at 1.0 and 10 micrograms/g were in the ranges of 92.6-104.9% and 94.2-101.3%, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.5 microgram/g in samples. The proposed method was applied to the determination of 242 commercial vegetables and fruits. Maleic hydrazide was detected in 2 samples of imported onion at the levels of 4.9 and 7.2 micrograms/g.

Between April 1996 to June 1998, 133 samples of 9 food commodities were analyzed for pesticide residues. In 8 samples of 5 commodities, 5 kinds of pesticides residues were detected. The baby foods in which the pesticides were detected were produced from vegetables and fruits. In our investigations, pesticide residues have been frequently detected in the raw materials. For the baby foods containing pesticides, intake amounts of the pesticides calculated from the daily feeding volume and the ADI were compared. Residual pesticide levels in baby food commodities are low, and it was concluded that they are not likely to present any problem in normal usage.