DDT and DDE Content of Complete Prepared Meals

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Abstract
The DDT and DDE contents of 29 complete prepared meals were determined. Seven meals contained no detectable DDT or DDE. One additional meal did not contain measurable DDT. No DDE was found in 2 other meals. Based on all the meals analyzed, the mean daily intake was 0.199 mg of DDT and 0.122 mg of DDE. If the single meal containing the large amounts of DDT and DDE were omitted from consideration, then the mean daily intake became 0.123 mg for DDT and 0.057 mg for DDE. The household meals in this study contained somewhat higher concentrations of DDT and DDE than did the restaurant meals. Since they represented a more average type of food selection and did not contain specialty or homegrown items, the restaurant meals were considered to be more typical of the average American diet than were the household meals. Based on the restaurant meals, the present mean daily intake for the general population of the USA is 0.038 mg of DDT and 0.044 mg of DDE. This amount of DDT represents a mean concentration of about 0.018 ppm in the total wet diet. This DDT intake is equivalent to a daily dosage rate for a 70-kg man of about 0.0005 mg/kg. Comparison of the results of the present study with those of earlier studies indicates that the DDT content of the total diet has decreased between 1953 and 1963. In general the products of animal origin (meats, gravies, meat combinations,and eggs) contained the larger quantities of DDT and DDE. Dairy products were an exception to this generality. There was no appreciable difference between food items purchased at an ordinary grocery store and similar items purchased at a "health food" store with regard to DDT or DDE content.