Chemical Hazards

()Map FOOD DERIVED HAZARDS TO HUMAN HEALTH (Map)

These may be:

Drug Residues

This category consists of:

1. Veterinary Medicines

Drugs given to treat animals intended for food production, if licienced, will have a minimum withdrawal period which must be observed before the animal can go for slaughter (for meat withdrawal). Withdrawal periods also exist for animal products, e.g. egg withdrawal, milk withdrawal, etc... If a Veterinary Medicine is not Licienced for use in a particular species for treating a particular condition then the standard withdrawal period of 7 days for meat & 28 days for milk should be observed. Some drugs are specifically prohibited from use in all food animals (e.g. Phenylbutazone, Lignocaine to name two) and some drugs are prohibited in specific types of food producing animal (e.g. Tilmicosin is prohibited in Dairy cows but not beef cows).

Veterianry Medicines whose use are widespread in food producing animals are Antimicrobials, Antiparasitacides. Residues of ranquilizers are also of concern.

1. Agricultural Chemicals
2. Growth Promoters