Organochlorine residues
Certain organochlorine chemicals, notably DDT, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, and gamma-HCH (lindane)), and chlordecone were widely used to control pests in sugarcane fields until they were banned worldwide in 2001 (Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) (UNEP, 2009). In sugarcane plantations that were once treated with these chemicals, pesticide residues may contaminate sugarcane tops left on the ground after the harvest. This potential contamination raises concerns for the safety of meat and milk from livestock fed sugarcane tops, since the residue levels may be higher than the Minimum Risk Level. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure that tops intended for livestock do not come from fields that have received organochlorines in the past. If there is any doubt, the tops should not be fed to livestock (McKenzie et al., 2007).