Food Regulator finds Antibiotic Resistance in Animal Food

The reports of chemical residues and the antibiotic residues in Animal. Food is common. The agencies like the Centre for Science and Environment is also time and again creating awareness about all these. Even the percentage of pesticides etc in the cold drinks also reported. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India has also issued notices and notification in this regard.

Krishi Jagran main aim is to create awareness and safety of human beings while using these products.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stated that allergic reactions and long-term resistance to antibiotics found in humans are caused by drug residues in animal products like muscle, liver, kidney, and milk. The FSSAI has insisted that packaged frozen and live products be tested before being sent to the market.

These products are suspected to contain residues of medicines that are meant for human consumption, pesticides and veterinary drugs. The US FDA has listed the chemicals which are found in animal products and stated that each country must work towards controlling them. With the food industry in India growing at 17 percent, the FSSAI wants laboratory tests conducted on animal products by the organized food sector; products from the unorganized sector must be randomly tested by state food inspectors.

The chemicals that have been listed as drug residues of veterinary antibiotics are chloramphenicol and beta-lactams. Pesticide residues like organophosphates, carbamates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and pyrethroids are also found in animal products.

While the use in chicken and meat was widely reported after tests carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment, there have not been any regulations so far. Food analyst P Shastry explained “Chicken and other dairy animals are prone to diseases as they are kept together in groups. The antibiotics are used to control the diseases, but their abuse has to be restricted. There is also a demand for alternative and safe feed to tackle diseases in animals and birds.”
FSSAI is demanding that veterinary doctors must visit the farms to administer the medicines and help control the misuse of antibiotics.

Dr. Dinesh Vohra, Senior Critical Care specialist explained “The effect of this misuse is seen while treating critical patients as the highest levels of antibiotics have to be used. There are patients on whom the second, and even third-generation antibiotics, are not found to work, making treatment extremely difficult. For this reason, identifying the drugs and controlling their use is most important.”

It has been noted that often the drug chemicals get concentrated in animal food and despite heavy cooking, there is still a high concentration found. In India, FSSAI is now insisting on maintaining a manual of the drugs and identifying a list of chemicals that are found as residues. Experts state that this will pave the way for gauging their use in the dairy, poultry, animal, and fish industry and accordingly control the production.