Antibiotics and heavy metals in cow milk: social response and true facts in Bangladesh

 

Presence of Antibiotics and heavy metals in milk normally create panic among the people. But only the presence of antibiotic is not a big issue in case of animal originated food (milk, meat and egg) as well as fish. The question whether it is within the tolerance level for human consumption or not. One has to know the true fact and science behind this and solution also should be scientific. Antibiotic residue in milk within the tolerance level is very common in several developed country as well (including USA). In USA, 0.01 ppm Amoxicillin, 0.3 ppm Oxytetracycline is the tolerance residual level in milk (Code of federal regulation, FDA, USA). FDA has been given the tolerance limit for all the drugs including steroids, hormones, antibiotics used in animal treatment. Within this limit it is safe for human. If the limits exceed, it will be alarming for human health. 

Milk is an ideal food that easily provides large amounts of calcium and protein to the body. Lactose in milk helps in brain development of child. An adult person needs 250 ml milk per day and the availability is only 158 ml milk per day in Bangladesh (DLS, 2018). In Bangladesh, per capita daily calorie intake through milk is only 24 kilocalories, while in Sri Lanka it is 57, 82 in Nepal, 104 in India and 265 in Pakistan, according to statistical yearbook of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

When animals are treated with antibiotics, the residues are found in milk for certain period (10-15 days, though this period depends on types and nature of antibiotics). This time is called withdrawal period. Milk must be discarded in this period.  This is a common phenomena and also true for meat, egg and other animal product. Feed of livestock and poultry could be another source of antibiotics. Sometimes antibiotics are used during feed formulation especially in poultry and fish feeds which is strictly prohibited by Government laws. Heavy metals are mainly come from soil. Due to environment as well as soil pollution feed ingredients (corn, soybean etc.) and fodders (Napier, Para, German grass etc.) are produced with high percentage of heavy metals. This is one kind of contamination.

Due to indiscriminate use of antibiotics (both animal and human), It is now important to test the residual amount of antibiotics in different foods (Milk, Meat, Egg, Fish) and their products. Focus should not only be given in milk but also it is similarly important in fish, meat, egg and other products. When the tests are performed from any institution, it is better to consider the sample size and homogeneity before drawing any conclusion on mass media. Because it can deliver the wrong messages to mass people and they simply avoid taking milk, which make irreparable loss to future generation of Bangladesh. That’s why sample should be collected and analyzed from district level throughout the country. After that, results summary should be published through a seminar with scientific community along with the related departments of Government (DLS, BSTI,) and then make decisions.

      It is appreciable that the Honorable High Court Ordered to stop selling antibiotics without prescription from a registered veterinary doctor.  Some dynamic decision should be taken immediately for safe production and manufacturing of different food products. Programs on monitoring antibiotic use in food animals, feed-stuff, and humans should be implemented immediately which already exists in many developed countries like the European Union (EU), Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Japan and United States (US) to address the same problem we are facing. Creating mass awareness for maintaining withdrawal period after antibiotic treatments can be a sustainable solution. Industries, who manufacture milk, meat, egg, fish, before marketing, make sure the food and food products are free from antibiotics. Human antibiotics must not be used in the treatments of animals.

Strong implementation of laws, mass awareness and zero corruption of regulatory bodies as well as rapid action against the food criminals could be the solution of safe production of food and food products.      

Nuronnabi Sagor