Gas chromatographic detection of class I pesticide residuals in olive oil. Preliminary data for a project on food pollution and children's health

• Published in: Bollettino della Societa italiana di biologia sperimentale Vol. 69; no. 9; p. 501
• Main Authors: de Franciscis, A, Accardo, A, Bernardo, I, Di Monaco, P, Ferrara, A, Galzerano, G, Matteo, L, Piombino, O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01-09-1993
• Subjects: Agriculture - statistics & numerical data; Chromatography, Gas - methods; Food Contamination - analysis; Italy; Olive Oil; Pesticide Residues - analysis; Plant Oils - analysis; Italy
• ISSN: 0037-8771

The data are preliminary findings in order to study the possible pollution of fresh olive oil with Class I Pesticides, often misused by olive farmers, and it's effect on children's health. The oil produced from the olives of 8 farms in a small town of Southern Italy was collected at the mill in 1992, with no previous notice to the farmers, and was analyzed by Head Space Gas Chromatographic technique. The research for organophosphates and chlorinated pesticides was negative. The Kreis test excluded oil rancidity and the index of refraction confirmed the oils being fresh olive oil. The fact that the oil samples resulted free of pesticide residuals, however, might be explained by the unusual season weather not favourable to the olive parasites and the consequent reduced amounts of pesticides used by the farmers. The work will be repeated in 1993 and completed by a dietary semiquantitative questionnaire and epidemiologic evaluations on the children's health.