Reducing Veterinary Drug Residues in Animal Products: A Review

Abstract

A survey we conducted suggests that the ingestion of veterinary drug residues in edible animal parts constitutes a potential health hazard for its consumers, including, specifically, the possibility of developing multidrug resistance, carcinogenicity, and disruption of intestinal normal microflora. The survey results indicated that antibiotics, parasitic drugs, anticoccidial, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are broadly used, and this use in livestock is associated with the appearance of residues in various animal products such as milk, meat, and eggs. We observed that different cooking procedures, heating temperatures, storage times, fermentation, and pH have the potential to decrease drug residues in animal products. Several studies have reported the use of thermal treatments and sterilization to decrease the quantity of antibiotics such as tetracycline, oxytetracycline, macrolides, and sulfonamides, in animal products. Fermentation treatments also decreased levels of penicillin and pesticides such as dimethoate, malathion, Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, and lindane. pH, known to influence decreases in cloxacillin and oxacillin levels, reportedly enhanced the dissolution of antimicrobial drug residues. Pressure cooking also reduced aldrin, dieldrin, and endosulfan in animal products. Therefore, this review provides updated information on the control of drug residues in animal products, which is of significance to veterinarians, livestock producers, and consumer health.

Food safety risk posed to consumers of table eggs from layer farms in Gauteng Province, South Africa: Prevalence of Salmonella species and Escherichia coli, antimicrobial residues, and antimicrobial resistant bacteria

“…Observation of the withdrawal period after administering antimicrobial agents to chickens and other livestock has been documented to eliminate or reduce the presence of antimicrobial residues in animal products such as eggs (Khattab, Elderea, Salem, & Gomaa, ). Furthermore, the need to monitor and reduce the occurrence of antimicrobial residues in livestock products has been emphasized (Lee, Chen, Wei, & Chiu, ; Rana, Lee, Kang, & Hur, ). The finding of low farm and egg prevalence in our study could be a manifestation of the use of antimicrobial agents and observation of the withdrawal period under the supervision of veterinarians as reflected in the questionnaire survey.…”

Monitoring of Antibiotic Residues among Sheep Meat in Erbil City and Thermal Processing Effect on their Remnants

“…Additionally, most of antibiotics used in animal farming can lead to emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can then be transmitted to humans through food or contact. Indeed, bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a major global health problem that has been declared by WHO as one of the major challenges facing the 21 st century (25)(26)(27). Regulatory agencies and governmental authorities have established criteria regarding maximum residue limit (MRL) in various food matrices of animal origin in order to reinforce industry and food workers to control veterinary drug residues in the food chain.…”

Ethnoveterinary for food‐producing animals and related food safety issues: A comprehensive overview about terpenes

“…However, the benefits achieved with the use of veterinary drugs are not risk free, because there are several risks related to the residues of these substances that may be present in food. The presence of residue‐drugs become may lead to the occurrence of adverse effects on consumers, including hypersensitivity reactions (allergies); development of antimicrobial resistance; carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic effects; gastrointestinal disorders; among others (Beyene, 2016; Rana, Lee, Kang, & Hur, 2019). Therefore, the use of veterinary drugs requires the adoption of good veterinary practices that should be guided according to national and international safety regulations.…”