Organochlorine pesticide residues inraw and cooked fish fillets

The effects of microwave and halogen cooking on organochlorine pesticides residues of five commercial fish species fillets (Mullet, Nile tilapia, Blue tilapia, Mango tilapia and Bayad catfish) were assessed. Results showed that dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane(HCH) were the predominant contaminants in fish fillets. Besides, concentrations of endrin, endosulfan I, endosulfan II, ensulfan sulfate, endrin aldehyde, endrinketon and methoxychlor compound were below detectable limits in raw and cooked fish fillets. The high levels of HCHs were found in raw fillets of Bayad catfish, Mango tilapia, Blue tilapia, Mullet and Nile tilapia as (321, 225, 159, 143 and111 ng/g ww, respectively).Concerning the effect of thermal processing methods microwave and halogen caused significant (p<0.05) losses in the concentrations of most examined pesticides. The reduction rates in total organochlorine pesticides residues in microwave and halogen cooked samples were 71.89 and 79.80%, respectively. The highest losses were occurred in halogen cooked samples as follows: Bayad catfish (79.80%), followed by Mango tilapia (73.97%), Mullet (71.95%), Nile tilapia (68.40%), Blue tilapia (64.43%). Halogen cooking method was more effective than microwave in reducing the content of per-sistent organochlorine pesticides and it can be used to enhance the nutritional value of fish products and promote good health