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Review on Chemical Residues in Milk and Their Public Health Concern in Ethiopia bedaso kebede
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Antimicrobial residues and compositional quality of informally marketed raw cow milk, Lamu West Su…
George K I A G E Ondieki
BÀI BÁO
Journal of Environment and Life Sciences
Review Article
1Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, 2Department of Veterinary Physiology and
Biochemistry, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
3Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Arawali Veterinary College (Affiliated to Rajasthan University
of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner), Bajor, Sikar, Rajasthan, India.
Introduction
Since the early 1960s, there has been two-fold increase in per capita milk consumption of developing
countries. This increased demand of milk made it essential to adopt extensive animal husbandry
practices. Use of veterinary drugs for taking cure of variety of ailments in farm animals is an integral
component of such extensive animal husbandry practices. Antimicrobial residues are currently most
frequent inhibitory substances found in milk, having undesirable effects on milk quality, milk
technological properties, dairy products quality and human health problems. Food Safety and Standards
Act, 2006 defines veterinary drug residues as “the parent compounds or their metabolites or both in any
edible portion of any animal product and include residues of associated impurities of the veterinary
drugs concerned” (FSSA, 2006). Presence of any drug or antibiotic residue in milk and meat is
considered as illegitimate and also lead to economic losses to dairy industry.1-3
Antibiotics used in dairy animals
In modern dairy farming system, antimicrobial drugs are used for both therapeutic and prophylactic
purposes. Pencillins, tetracyclines, sulphonamides and aminoglycosides were most frequently used in
lactating animals, which led to occurrence of their residues in milk. Drugs are extensively used to promote
the animal health, control and treat the infection and to step up the production. Mastitis is the most
prevalent and economically important widespread disease in cattle and much of the veterinary treatment of
dairy cattle involves intramammary infusion of antibiotics to control mastitis. The most likely cause of
violative drug residues is the failure to observe prescribed withdrawal times. The withdrawal time is the
time required for the residue of toxicological concern to reach safe concentration as defined by tolerance.
However, the extra label use of antibiotics (whenever a drug is used in a manner other that which it is
licensed for), mainly dosages deviating from recommendations of the drug manufacturer fall under the
main reason for occurrence of antibiotic residues in milk after the end of the withholding period in India.
The inappropriate use of veterinary drugs and negligence regarding withholding periods of milk can lead to
the presence of residues of these compounds or their metabolites. Usage of antibiotics as preservatives and
as growth promoter has also been reported. Other major reasons for occurrence of drug residues in milk are
incorrect milking order of cows and insufficient cleaning of milking cluster or milking installation. Few
cases of prolonged occurrences of residues in milk are related to veterinary error and insufficient cleaning
of milk contact surfaces after milking of treated cows. Education on prudent use of antibiotics has been
observed to be particularly lacking amongst dispensers and prescribers of antibiotics.2,3
Harmful consequences of antibiotic residues
Presence of antimicrobial residues in foods can cause health hazards in consumers such as allergic reactions
in sensitive persons. Antibacterial residues cause broad range of health effects like allergy (penicillins),
bone marrow aplasia (chloramphenicol), ototoxicity etc. Major concern regarding dietary exposure of
antimicrobial residues is due to emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of pathogens, complicating the
treatment for both human and animal diseases. Apart from health hazards, antimicrobial residues in milk
have also been linked to major technological problem in the dairy industry. It is because, even residual
quantities of antimicrobials in milk are responsible for interference with starter culture activity which
disrupts the manufacture process of milk products. Antibiotic residues can also interfere with the methylene
blue reduction test, hence causing underestimation of the microbial load in milk. All of these concerns may
result in major threats to the society. Presence of veterinary drug residues in food is thus a crucial food
safety issue.4,5
Conclusion
Once antibiotics are administered to animal body; antibiotic residues are present in high or
low concentrations in their products. However, it mainly depends on the duration of the
administration of antibiotics. Hence, the withdrawal time of different drugs should be strictly
followed and during this period milk should not be used for human consumption. Use of
antibiotic as growth promoter should be strictly prohibited and whenever they are used for
therapeutic purpose must be used in proper doses and for proper time. Thus, by observing
proper scientific guidelines and precautions we can minimize the harmful effects of antibiotic
residues.
Funding: No funding source
Conflict of interest: None declared
References