Determination of antibiotics residues in beef and mutton from some selected markets in Kumasi –Ghana
Loading...
Date
2015-04-09
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
A study was conducted between October 2013 and January 2014 to determine antibiotics
residues levels in beef and mutton from some selected markets in Kumasi-Ghana. A total of 60
samples comprising beef and mutton were bought using the random and systematic sampling
methods.
Antibiotics are substances either produced naturally by living organisms or synthetically in the
laboratory, and they are able to kill or inhibit the growth of micro-organisms. Antibiotics are also
used as feed additives for the purpose of livestock health maintenance. Antibiotics residues in
feedstuffs (beef and mutton) are currently a problem of some magnitude in different parts of the
world (Ghana), particularly due to associated public health concerns that include hypersensitivity
reactions, antibiotic resistance, toxicity, teratogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive disorder and
carcinogenicity.
In Ghana as in other parts of the world, antibiotic residues in animal-derived foods have been
extensively recorded, these residues have exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO)
maximum residues limits in most African countries. Tetracyclines are the most predominantly
prescribed antibiotics in Africa and for that matter Ghana followed by β-Lactams.
The mean concentrations for chloramphenicol in the beef and mutton for the three markets
Central, Asafo, and Central Abattoir were 217.92 mg/kg, 213.19 mg/kg and 164.36 mg/kg
respectively for beef and that for mutton were 259.63 mg/kg, 154.16 mg/kg, and 270.22 mg/kg
respectively for the markets above. In all 30 beef and mutton samples were bought and for beef
24 samples had detectable chloramphenicol levels (80%) and for mutton 25 samples (83%) had
detectable chloramphenicol levels.
v
The mean concentrations for Oxytetracycline in the beef and mutton for the three markets
mentioned above were 86.18 mg/kg, 87.17 mg/kg, and 480.25 mg/kg respectively for the three
markets mentioned earlier and that for mutton were 181.13 mg/kg, 239.70 mg/kg, and 105.08
mg/kg respectively for the three markets. Out of 30 samples each for beef and mutton, 15
samples (50%) had detectable Oxytetracycline residues for both beef and mutton. Penicillin G
was not detected in any of the samples.
The risk assessment analysis performed on the samples had risk quotients less than 1 (RQ<1)
indicating that the consumption of such meat may pose no danger or harm to its consumers for
all the samples except Oxytetracycline in beef from the Central Abattoir Market with a RQ of
1.04 indicating that there may be harm in consuming such meat.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry,
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of
degree
of
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Analytical Chemistry, 2014