Concentrations of veterinary drug residues in milk from individual farms in Croatia

• Main Authors: Nina Bilandžić, Božica Solomun Kolanović, Ivana Varenina, Zorica Jurković
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatian Dairy Union 2011-09-01
• Series: Mljekarstvo
• Subjects: milk; veterinary drug residues; ELISA; estimated dietary intake
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=106471
• ISSN: 0026-704X; 1846-4025

A total of 119 raw milk samples collected at individual small milk-producing facilities and collection tanks of milk routes from five counties of east and north continental Croatia were examined for chloramphenicol, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, gentamicin, streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin, flumequine and enrofloxacin from January to March of 2011. Immunoassay methods used for drug determination were validated according to the guidelines laid down by European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Data indicated that the methods are appropriate for the detection of antibiotics measured. Measured mean values (μg L-1) of antibiotics were: 0.005 for chloramphenicol, 3.67 for sulfonamides, 2.83 for tetracyclines, 1.10 for gentamicin, 2.64 for streptomycin, 7.67 for dihydrostreptomycin, 10.4 for flumequine and 4.11 for enrofloxacin. None of samples analyzed showed the presence of veterinary drug residues above the maximum residues levels (MRLs) established by European Union and Croatian legislation. The calculated estimated daily intakes (EDIs) for the average daily milk consumption of 300 mL for an adult in Croatia for examined antibiotics showed levels 20 to 1640 times lower than the values of acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) fixed by European Medicines Agency and World Health Organization. This suggested that toxicological risk associated with the consumption of analysed milk could not be considered a public health issue with regards to these veterinary drugs.