Evaluation of certain veterinary drug residues in food. Forty-seventh report of the joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

Abstract

This report presents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluated the safety of residues of certain veterinary drugs in food and to recommend maximum levels for such residues in food. The first part of the report considers the assessment of the effects of antimicrobial drug residues in food on the human intestinal microflora as well as well as of analytical methods used to obtain residue-depletion data. A summary follows of the Committee's evaluations of toxicological and residue data on a variety of veterinary drugs: two adrenoceptor agonists (clenbuterol and xylazine), two anthelminthic agents (abamectin and moxidectin), seven antimicrobial agents (chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, neomycin, spiramycin, thiamphenicol and tilmicosin), and two insecticides (cypermethrin and alpha-cypermethrin). Annexed to the report are a summary of the Committee's recommendations on these drugs, including Acceptable Daily Intakes and Maximum Residue Limits, further toxicological studies and other information required, and a discussion of procedures for assessing the effects of antimicrobial drug residues in food on the human intestinal microflora.