Spread of zoonotic agents by foods of animal origin

Due to the expansion of the international trade with food, there is a great and increasing danger of transmitting zoonotic agents with these foods over long distances from one region to another. However, in concrete cases it is difficult to determine which zoonotic agents are transmitted through which foodstuffs and how great the emergency is. The worldwide distribution of most of these agents, the easing up of import controls for goods coming from certain export countries, and the abstinence from evaluating epidemiological data in cases of detection of agents in foods are responsible for this. Merely, the transmission path of Vibrio spp. (V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus) can be significantly traced from the East Asian countries to Europe via fish products.     

Determination of residues of pyrethroid and organophosphorous ectoparasiticides in foods of animal origin

Analytical methods were introduced for the determination of residues of ectoparasiticides containing pyrethroid and organophosphate active ingredients in foods. Milk and edible tissues of cows treated with three experimental ectoparasiticides (containing cypermethrin + diazinon, deltamethrin + diazinon and alphamethrin + diazinon, respectively) were assayed for the presence of active ingredient residues. Synthetic pyrethroid residues were not detected in any of the samples processed. Diazinon residues could only be detected in milk samples taken on the first day after treatment (0.005-0.025 mg/kg) and in liver and fat tissue samples taken on the day of slaughtering (0.12 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively). Permethrin and propetamphos residues were determined in the skin, meat and liver of chickens kept on 'Blotic-B' treated litter and in eggs collected at different times after the treatment of layer houses. Permethrin residues could not be detected in any of the samples (< 0.01 mg/kg). Meat and fat tissues of chickens slaughtered on the day after treatment contained small amounts of propetamphos (0.003 and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively). In the case of chickens kept on the treated litter and slaughtered after one week, active ingredient was not detected in meat, but 0.006 mg/kg propetamphos was present in the fat. The residue content of other samples (liver, egg) was below the detection limit of the applied method at all sampling times. From the food toxicological point of view these pesticide combinations can be used safely if the recommended withdrawal period is observed between ectoparasiticide administration and slaughter.     

The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in imported ready-to-eat foods in Japan

Quantitative analyses of Listeria monocytogenes in imported ready-to-eat (RTE) foods sold at retail stores in Japan were performed. Of the 77 non-cooked meat products, 6 samples (7.8%) tested positive. The levels of contamination of 4 of the samples were below 100 colony-forming units (CFU)/g, which is the microbiological criterion for L. monocytogenes in RTE foods as determined by Codex. However, Listeria cells at levels of 100 and 400 CFU/g were detected in a salami sample and a raw ham sample, respectively. All of the 70 cheese samples and the 3 samples made from raw ham and cheese showed negative test results. These results suggest that imported RTE foods are potential sources of the causative agent of listeriosis.     

抗生素、转基因食物和动物克隆

近几年来,抗生素在动物饲料中的应用和禁用问题,转基因食物的安全性问题和克隆动物能否为公众接受等问题,已成为动物保健业以至人类食品安全中的重大议题,而且对这些问题的争论还在升温.笔者浏览了国内外的有关资料,将主要内容整理后供读者参考.     

Tuberculosis in domestic animal species

M. bovis and M. caprae, members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), are the major causative agents of tuberculosis in domestic animals. Notably, M. bovis exhibits a wide host range; the infection has been reported in many domesticated animals and free or captive wildlife. Despite most of them acting as spill-over hosts in particular epidemiological scenarios, some domesticated species as pigs, camelids and goats may display high rates of infection and possibly play a role in the inter-species transmission of the disease. The aim of this review is to make an updated overview of the susceptibility and the role in the transmission of the disease of the most common domesticated animals species such as small ruminants, pigs, horses, camelids, dogs and cats. An overview of the diagnostic approaches to detect the infection in each of the species included in the review is also presented.     

New horizons for selenium in animal nutrition and functional foods

Selenium(Se), one of the indispensable nutrients for both human health and animal growth, participates in various physiological functions, such as antioxidant and immune responses and metabolism. The role of dietary Se, in its organic and inorganic forms, has been well documented in domestic animals.Furthermore, many feeding strategies for different animals have been developed to increase the Se concentration in animal products to address Se deficiency and even as a potential nutritional strateg...     

兽药与动物性食品安全

介绍了兽药与动物性食品安全的关系,分析了影响动物性食品安全的主要原因:滥用药物、人畜共患病蔓延、重金属和有毒生物素污染.全面介绍了我国兽药残留监控工作概况,包括动物产品的残留监控、修订兽药最高残留限量标准、加强残留检测方法研究、制定兽药使用休药期标准、规范兽药使用、建立兽药残留监测体系等方面的发展概况;指出了我国动物性食品安全方面存在的主要问题和今后加强动物性食品安全管理应采取的主要措施.