Residue Reviews: The citrus reentry problem: Research on its causes and effects, and approaches to its minimization

That residues of pesticide and other contaminants in the total environ­ ment are of concern to everyone everywhere is attested by the reception ac­ corded previous volumes of "Residue Reviews" and by the gratifYing en. thusiasm, sincerity, and efforts shown by all tve individuals from whom manuscripts have been solicited. Despite much propaganda to the contrary, there can never be any serious questions that pest-control chemicals and food-additive chemicals are essential to adequate food production, manufac­ ture, marketing, and storage, yet without continuing surveillance and intel­ ligent control some of those that persist in our foodstuffs could at times con­ ceivably endanger the public health, Ensuring safety-in-use of these many chemicals is a dynamic challenge, for established ones are continually being displaced by newly developed ones more acceptable to food technologists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, and changing pest-control requirements in progressive food-producing economies. These matters are of genuine concern to increasing numbers of gov­ ernmental agencies and legislative bodies around the world, for some of these chemicals have resulted in a few mishaps from improper use. Adequate safety-in-use evaluations of any of these chemicals persisting into our foodstuffs are not simple matters, and they incorporate the considered judgments of many individuals highly trained in a variety of complex biologi­ cal, chemical, food technological, medical, pharmacological, and toxicologi­ cal disciplines.