Abstract

Residues of antimicrobials in food have received much attention in recent years because of growing food safety and public health concerns. The ingestion of veterinary drug residues in edible animal parts and contaminated dairy products constitutes a potential health hazard for its consumers, including, specifically, the possibility of developing multidrug resistance, carcinogenicity, and disruption of intestinal normal microflora. Therefore, the aim of the study was to review the stability of food processing on the antibiotic residues in animal products. We have seen that different cooking procedures, heating temperatures, storage times (cooling and freezing), fermentation, and pH have the significant reduction of drug residues in animal products. Several studies have reported the use of thermal treatments and sterilization to decrease the quantity of antibiotics such as tetracycline, oxytetracycline, macrolides, sulfonamides, azithromycin, chlortetracycline, and doxycycline in animal products. The presence of antibiotic residues in raw milk samples is more than prescribed limits by international regulations, leading to inhibition of growth of starter microorganisms during manufacturing processes of dairy products. Time and temperature of heating, freezing degree, medium pH, and antibiotic type were the most important factors the effect on the stability of the antibiotic residue in food products.

Key words: Antibiotic residues, stability, thermal processing, freezing, fermentation