Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
coli, Salmonella
and
Klebsiella
) and some anaerobic organisms, also
possessing some activity against protozoa. Nifursol was the drug of
choice for decades for the prevention of histomoniasis (blackhead
disease) in turkeys.
Since 1950, these nitrofuran compounds have been widely used in
veterinary medicine practice, especially in medicated feeds or in drinking
water. Their characteristics, including low cost, general availability and
effectiveness in the treatment of resistant infections, have led to small and
medium producers depending on the cost/benefit of nitrofurans, to avoid
heavy livestock losses due to resistant infections. However, the risk
assessment of these substances have determined their inclusion in the
Annex IV of EEC Regulation No. 2377/90, i.e., in the list of forbidden
compounds to be used for producers in farm animal. Furaltadone and
nitrofurazone were included in Annex IV in 1993, furazolidone in 1995
and nifursol in 2003. This ban, imposed by the application of what is
currently known as the precautionary principle, stemmed from several
studies which indicate potential genotoxic and carcinogenic effects.
Nevertheless, the global crisis involving the detection of nitrofuran
metabolites in food products originating in Latin America and Southeast
Asia, as well as in several European countries, including Portugal during
2002-2003, led the European Commission to adopt additional control
measures in order to protect the consumer.
Apart from the description of nitrofurans and its application in
poultry feed, this chapter will present a detailed description of the
detection and quantification procedures for nitrofuran and its metabolites
in animal feed, muscle, liver and in eggs, using e.g. high performance
liquid chromatography coupled to UV-Vis and/or mass spectrometry
detection.
1.
I
NTRODUCTION
Intensive animal production has led to a significant increase in the use of
antimicrobial agents for therapeutic, prophylactic/metaphylactic and growth
promotion purposes in the veterinary field. Any use of antimicrobial agents is
a public health concern because of the resulting development, selection, spread
of resistance, and the persistence of potentially harmful antimicrobial feed
additives in animal food products[1].
Over the past years, food safety, always an important issue, has gained
global concern following a number of highly publicized food safety scandals
for all around the world, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy in beef
(BSE's), benzene in carbonated drinks in the UK, dioxins in pork and milk
