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Berlin – The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) classifies the antibiotic contamination of fish and meat in selected products as low. According to the results from the MEAL study (Meals for Food Exposure Estimation and Analysis), almost all unprepared samples of trout fillet, pork and turkey meat did not contain detectable or determinable levels of pharmacologically active substances.

For this analysis, 60 products each of trout, pork and turkey were purchased from common grocery stores. Each of the 180 samples taken was divided to be evaluated raw or prepared in a typical household manner. First, all unprepared samples were examined for 20 pharmacologically active substances, primarily substances with antibiotic effects (e.g. tetracycline, doxycycline and sulfadiazine).

Antibiotics are also used in livestock farming to treat animal diseases. Food that comes from treated animals may therefore contain residues of veterinary medicines. The maximum residue levels for veterinary drugs are regulated by law and must not be exceeded.

In view of the possible development of antibiotic resistance, the focus in this part of the work was on substances with antibiotic effects. For this purpose, samples of trout fillet, pork and turkey meat were screened for the levels of 20 different antibiotics and coccidiostats, i.e. antibiotic-active substances for the treatment of certain intestinal diseases caused by protozoa.

Around 99% of the analysis values ​​from 3,783 individual results from unprepared samples showed no detectable or determinable levels of the substances examined. If pharmacologically active substances were detectable in an unprepared sample, the corresponding prepared sample was also examined.

31 samples fell into this category, including 18 samples of trout fillet, one sample of pork and twelve samples of turkey meat. In these prepared samples, the levels of detectable residues were on average 18% and a maximum of 36% of the respective maximum permitted residue level. A typical household preparation of the samples had no significant influence on the levels of the substances taken into account.

According to its evaluations, the BfR classifies the identified antibiotic contamination in trout fillet, pork and turkey meat as low. As an independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the BfR advises the federal government and the federal states on the topics of food, chemicals and product safety. © cw/aerzteblatt.de