Deciphering the Role of the Gut Microbiota in Exposure to Emerging Contaminants and Diabetes: A Review

Emerging pollutants, a category of compounds currently not regulated or inadequately regulated by law, have recently become a focal point of research due to their potential toxic effects on human health. The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in human health; it is particularly susceptible to disruption and alteration upon exposure to a range of toxic environmental chemicals, including emerging contaminants. The disturbance of the gut microbiome caused by environmental pollutants may represent a mechanism through which environmental chemicals exert their toxic effects, a mechanism that is garnering increasing attention. However, the discussion on the toxic link between emerging pollutants and glucose metabolism remains insufficiently explored. This review aims to establish a connection between emerging pollutants and glucose metabolism through the gut microbiota, delving into the toxic impacts of these pollutants on glucose metabolism and the potential role played by the gut microbiota.

Evaluation of antibiotic residues in honey: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Nowadays, incorrect apply of antibiotics to treat infections in honey has led to health risks for humans and antibiotic resistance. Current systematic review and meta-analysis conducted to study antibiotic residues in honey. Data were obtained through searching the databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and other internal databases. The pooled concentration of antibiotic residues was 5.032 (µg/kg) that ranged from 4.72 to 5.33 (µg/kg). The ranking of antibiotics concentration was found in order of fluoroquinolone (8.59 µg/kg) > tetracycline (5.68 µg/kg) > sulfonamides (5.54 µg/kg) > macrolides (4.19µg/kg), respectively. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method (37.9.7%), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method (34.4%), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method (27.5.8%) were the most used methods in various studies. In order to avoid contamination, proper use of antibiotics, placement of hives at a suitable distance from agricultural environment, and regular control of antibiotic residues in honey seems to be necessary.

Social demographics determinants for resistome and microbiome variation of a multiethnic community in Southern Malaysia

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Southeast Asia is a significant concern, yet there is limited research on the gut resistome and its correlation with lifestyle and environmental factors in the region. This study aimed to profile the gut resistome of 200 individuals in Malaysia using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and investigate its association with questionnaire data comprising demographic and lifestyle variables. A total of 1038 antibiotic resistance genes from 26 classes were detected with a mean carriage rate of 1.74 ± 1.18 gene copies per cell per person. Correlation analysis identified 14 environmental factors, including hygiene habits, health parameters, and intestinal colonization, that were significantly associated with the resistome (adjusted multivariate PERMANOVA, p < 0.05). Notably, individuals with positive yeast cultures exhibited a reduced copy number of 15 antibiotic resistance genes. Network analysis highlighted Escherichia coli as a major resistome network hub, with a positive correlation to 36 antibiotic-resistance genes. Our findings suggest that E. coli may play a pivotal role in shaping the resistome dynamics in Segamat, Malaysia, and its abundance is strongly associated with the community's health and lifestyle habits. Furthermore, the presence of yeast appears to be associated with the suppression of antibiotic-resistance genes.

Antibiotic Resistance and Food Safety: Perspectives on New Technologies and Molecules for Microbial Control in the Food Industry

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) has direct and indirect repercussions on public health and threatens to decrease the therapeutic effect of antibiotic treatments and lead to more infection-related deaths. There are several mechanisms by which ABR can be transferred from one microorganism to another. The risk of transfer is often related to environmental factors. The food supply chain offers conditions where ABR gene transfer can occur by multiple pathways, which generates concerns regarding food safety. This work reviews mechanisms involved in ABR gene transfer, potential transmission routes in the food supply chain, the prevalence of antibiotic residues in food and ABR organisms in processing lines and final products, and implications for public health. Finally, the paper will elaborate on the application of antimicrobial peptides as new alternatives to antibiotics that might countermeasure ABR and is compatible with current food trends.

Intensive poultry farming: A review of the impact on the environment and human health

Poultry farming is one of the most efficient animal husbandry methods and it provides nutritional security to a significant number of the world population. Using modern intensive farming techniques, global production has reached 133.4 mil. t in 2020, with a steady growth each year. Such intensive growth methods however lead to a significant environmental footprint. Waste materials such as poultry litter and manure can pose a serious threat to environmental and human health, and need to be managed properly. Poultry production and waste by-products are linked to NH₃, N₂O and CH₄ emissions, and have an impact on global greenhouse gas emissions, as well as animal and human health. Litter and manure can contain pesticide residues, microorganisms, pathogens, pharmaceuticals (antibiotics), hormones, metals, macronutrients (at improper ratios) and other pollutants which can lead to air, soil and water contamination as well as formation of antimicrobial/multidrug resistant strains of pathogens. Dust emitted from intensive poultry production operations contains feather and skin fragments, faeces, feed particles, microorganisms and other pollutants, which can adversely impact poultry health as well as the health of farm workers and nearby inhabitants. Fastidious odours are another problem that can have an adverse impact on health and quality of life of workers and surrounding population. This study discusses the current knowledge on the impact of intensive poultry farming on environmental and human health, as well as taking a look at solutions for a sustainable future.

Evolution and implementation of One Health to control the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes: A review

Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to humanity and its environment. Aberrant usage of antibiotics in the human, animal, and environmental sectors, as well as the dissemination of resistant bacteria and resistance genes among these sectors and globally, are all contributing factors. In humans, antibiotics are generally used to treat infections and prevent illnesses. Antibiotic usage in food-producing animals has lately emerged as a major public health concern. These medicines are currently being utilized to prevent and treat infectious diseases and also for its growth-promoting qualities. These methods have resulted in the induction and spread of antibiotic resistant infections from animals to humans. Antibiotics can be introduced into the environment from a variety of sources, including human wastes, veterinary wastes, and livestock husbandry waste. The soil has been recognized as a reservoir of ABR genes, not only because of the presence of a wide and varied range of bacteria capable of producing natural antibiotics but also for the usage of natural manure on crop fields, which may contain ABR genes or antibiotics. Fears about the human health hazards of ABR related to environmental antibiotic residues include the possible threat of modifying the human microbiota and promoting the rise and selection of resistant bacteria, and the possible danger of generating a selection pressure on the environmental microflora resulting in environmental antibiotic resistance. Because of the connectivity of these sectors, antibiotic use, antibiotic residue persistence, and the existence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in human-animal-environment habitats are all linked to the One Health triangle. The pillars of support including rigorous ABR surveillance among different sectors individually and in combination, and at national and international level, overcoming laboratory resource challenges, and core plan and action execution should be strictly implemented to combat and contain ABR under one health approach. Implementing One Health could help to avoid the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance while also promoting a healthier One World. This review aims to emphasize antibiotic resistance and its regulatory approaches from the perspective of One Health by highlighting the interconnectedness and multi-sectoral nature of the human, animal, and environmental health or ill-health facets.

Determination of quinolone antibiotics in honey by pH-induced natural deep eutectic solvent combined with vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction

A green, fast, and efficient pH-induced natural deep eutectic solvent combined with vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method (pH-NADES-VA-DLLME) followed by HPLC was established for determination of ofloxacin (OFL), ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin (ENR) in honey. In this method, NaOH, as an emulsifier, can increase the contact area between the NADES and the sample solution, which can efficiently improve the extraction efficiency of the analytes. Moreover, HCl acts as the phase separation agent without centrifugation in the process, which can greatly enhance the efficiency of the sample analysis process. In addition, the main factors affecting the extraction effect were optimized by single factor experiments. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection (LODs), the limits of quantification (LOQs) and recoveries were in the range of 0.004-0.015 μg mL^-1, 0.012-0.050 μg mL^-1, and 98.0-112.5%, respectively. The RSD values of intra-day and inter-day precisions were no more than 5.5% and 6.0%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to determine the three quinolone antibiotics in honey.

Development of IgY-Based Indirect Competitive ELISA for the Detection of Fluoroquinolone Residues in Chicken and Pork Samples

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are among the antibiotics whose widespread use in farm-raised animals results in potentially harmful residues in the end products. Additionally, most Thai farmers use antibiotics. Amoxicillin and enrofloxacin were commonly used by pig farms, and hens were given enrofloxacin to prevent immunization side effects. Moreover, antibiotic overuse has harmed food safety in the long term, and the use of low-dose antibiotics causes bacterial resistance. Herein, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) was used to make a fast, easy, sensitive, and cost-effective method for monitoring FQs residues. After immunizing hens with mixed multi-hapten ciprofloxacin-bovine serum albumin (CPFX-BSA) with norfloxacin-bovine serum albumin (NFX-BSA), the IgY antibody purified from egg yolk was used for the detection of FQs residues in chicken and pork samples. The efficiency of the IgY antibody showed excellent sensitivity, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of enrofloxacin at 0.05 µg/mL, far below the MRLs defined by the EU for muscle samples, which was not to exceed 100 µg/kg. The recovery range for chicken muscle samples spiked with ENFX concentrations of 1.00-0.01 µg/mL was 86.65-112.71%, similar to pork samples, which were 84.24-117.22.2%. This method has a lot of potential for analyzing fluoroquinolones in complex samples quickly, easily, and at a low cost on-site. The IgY-based ic ELISA was developed to detect ciprofloxacin (CPFX), norfloxacin (NFX), and enrofloxacin (ENFX) residues; it confirms that IgY could be a promising choice for the detection of antibiotic residues in food samples.

Occurrence and Risk Assessment of Fluoroquinolone Residues in Chicken and Pork in China

Antibiotics, especially fluoroquinolones, have been exhaustively used in animal husbandry. However, very limited information on the occurrence and exposure assessment of fluoroquinolone residues in chicken and pork in China is available to date. Thus, a total of 1754 chicken samples and 1712 pork samples were collected from 25 provinces in China and tested by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) for residual determination of six common fluoroquinolones. The results revealed that the detection frequencies of fluoroquinolone residues were 3.99% and 1.69% in chicken and pork samples. The overall violation frequencies were 0.68% and 0.41% for chicken and pork. Enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin were found to be the most predominant fluoroquinolones. The occurrence of these antibiotics in different sampling regions and market types was analyzed. The %ADI values of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were far less than 100, indicating the health risk associated with the exposure to these aforementioned fluoroquinolone residues via chicken and pork for Chinese children, adolescents, and adults was acceptable. The results provided useful references for Chinese consumers, and helped to appropriately use these antibiotics in poultry and livestock industry.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antibiotic Resistance: A Latent Class Analysis of a Romanian Population

Considering the major limitations of the latest studies conducted in Romania on the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance, we conducted this study to assess this major public health threat. A cross-sectional survey based on a validated questionnaire was conducted among the general population of Romania for a period of 5 months, i.e., September 2021-January 2022. The questionnaire was distributed using Google Form and it covered demographic characteristics and KAP assessments consisting of 12 items on knowledge, 10 items on attitudes and 3 items on practices. Latent class analyses (LCAs) were conducted to group respondents based on their responses. The response rate was 77%, of which females responded in a greater number (n = 1251) compared to males (n = 674). For most of the respondents (67.32%, n = 1296), the education level was high school, while 23.58% (n = 454) of respondents were college graduates. One in three Romanians (33.3%) know the WHO predictions related to this topic. Overall, the Romanian population is less disciplined when it comes to completing antibiotic treatments, as 29.19% of the respondents stop the course of antibiotic administration if their symptoms improve. The key findings from the present study may help policy makers in designing targeted interventions to decrease confusion, ambiguity or misconceptions about antibiotic use.

Antibiotic Use in Livestock and Residues in Food-A Public Health Threat: A Review

The usage of antibiotics has been, and remains, a topic of utmost importance; on the one hand, for animal breeders, and on the other hand, for food safety. Although many countries have established strict rules for using antibiotics in animal husbandry for the food industry, their misuse and irregularities in compliance with withdrawal periods are still identified. In addition to animal-origin foods that may cause antibiotic residue problems, more and more non-animal-origin foods with this type of non-compliance are identified. In this context, we aim to summarize the available information regarding the presence of antibiotic residues in food products, obtained in various parts of the world, as well as the impact of consumption of food with antibiotic residues on consumer health. We also aim to present the methods of analysis that are currently used to determine antibiotic residues in food, as well as methods that are characterized by the speed of obtaining results or by the possibility of identifying very small amounts of residues.

Detection of Antibiotic Residues in Blossom Honeys from Different Regions in Turkey by LC-MS/MS Method

In the present study, a total of 80 commercial blossom honey samples were obtained from local markets in Ankara, Turkey. These honeys were analyzed for 35 important and risky antibiotics (sulfonamide, tetracycline, macrolide, cephalosporin, aminoglycoside, quinolone, nitrofuran, chloramphenicol, and anthelmintic groups) by the LC-MS/MS multi-antibiotic method. In addition to these analyses, pH measure, moisture, and electrical conductivity were determined in these honey samples. Finally, seven out of 35 antibiotic residues investigated in the honeys were positive. The most frequently detected antibiotics in the analyzed samples were dihydrostreptomycin, streptomycin, erythromycin, sulfadimidine (sulfamethazine), and enrofloxacin as 58.75%, 22.5%, 13.75%, 10%, and 2.5%, respectively. Tetracycline and doxycycline were detected in only one sample. The pH, moisture, and electrical conductivity values of the honey samples were determined as between pH 3.78 and 5.41, 17.48 and 18.03%, and 0.25 and 0.47 mS/cm, respectively. In terms of food safety and human health, it is very important to monitor the residues of these pharmacologically active substances with analytical methods.

The public health issue of antibiotic residues in food and feed: Causes, consequences, and potential solutions

Antibiotics are among the essential veterinary medicine compounds associated with animal feed and food animal production. The use of antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections is almost unavoidable, with less need to demonstrate their importance. Although banned as a growth factor for a few years, their use in animals can add residues in foodstuffs, presenting several environmental, technological, animal health, and consumer health risks. With regard to human health risks, antibiotic residues induce and accelerate antibiotic resistance development, promote the transfer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans, cause allergies (penicillin), and induce other severe pathologies, such as cancers (sulfamethazine, oxytetracycline, and furazolidone), anaphylactic shock, nephropathy (gentamicin), bone marrow toxicity, mutagenic effects, and reproductive disorders (chloramphenicol). Antibiotic resistance, which has excessively increased over the years, is one of the adverse consequences of this phenomenon, constituting a severe public health issue, thus requiring the regulation of antibiotics in all areas, including animal breeding. This review discusses the common use of antibiotics in agriculture and antibiotic residues in food/feed. In-depth, we discussed the detection techniques of antibiotic residues, potential consequences on the environment and animal health, the technological transformation processes and impacts on consumer health, and recommendations to mitigate this situation.

Antibiotic residues in cattle and sheep meat and human exposure assessment in southern Xinjiang, China

In recent years, antibiotics have become widely used in animal breeding. The application of antibiotics in livestock may lead to the presence of antibiotic residues in animal-derived foods, especially meat, that may pose a threat to human health. In this study, 26 common antibiotics (eight sulfonamides, nine fluoroquinolones, four tetracyclines, and five macrolides) were screened in 88 meat samples (cattle muscles and sheep muscles, kidneys, and livers) obtained from southern Xinjiang. The antibiotics were screened via the clean-up step based on solid-phase extraction and determined through ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Moreover, their risk to human health was analyzed. Overall, 16 antibiotics were detected with a total detection rate of 95.46%. The percentage of noncompliant samples was 28.41% with an exceedance maximum residue limit of 1.14%. The illegal use rate of the antibiotic norfloxacin was 27.27%. The estimated daily exposure doses of all compounds in adults were <102.218 ng/kg bw/day even after applying the worst-case scenario approach. This result demonstrated that the antibiotic residues in the tested samples imposed negligible harm to people's health and had an acceptable level of food safety risk. However, the high detection frequencies found in this work indicated that the risk of antibiotic residues could not be ignored given the cumulative risk of antibiotics, particularly the emergence of bacterial resistance, to the human body. The need for effective strategies and publicity for the judicious use of antibiotics to safeguard residents' health is immediate.

Environmental antimicrobial resistance and its drivers: a potential threat to public health

Imprudent and overuse of clinically relevant antibiotics in agriculture, veterinary and medical sectors contribute to the global epidemic increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). There is a growing concern among researchers and stakeholders that the environment acts as an AMR reservoir and plays a key role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Various drivers are contributing factors to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ARGs either directly through antimicrobial drug use in health care, agriculture/livestock and the environment or antibiotic residues released from various domestic settings. Resistant micro-organisms and their resistance genes enter the soil, air, water and sediments through various routes or hotspots such as hospital wastewater, agricultural waste or wastewater treatment plants. Global mitigation strategies primarily involve the identification of high-risk environments that are responsible for the evolution and spread of resistance. Subsequently, AMR transmission is affected by the standards of infection control, sanitation, access to clean water, access to assured quality antimicrobials and diagnostics, travel and migration. This review provides a brief description of AMR as a global concern and the possible contribution of different environmental drivers to the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or ARGs through various mechanisms. We also aim to highlight the key knowledge gaps that hinder environmental regulators and mitigation strategies in delivering environmental protection against AMR.

Antimicrobial Residues in Food from Animal Origin-A Review of the Literature Focusing on Products Collected in Stores and Markets Worldwide

The extensive use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic residues in frequently consumed foods. Generally, the main use of antibiotics in animals is to treat and prevent diseases and growth promotion. However, the residues and their breakdown products have several side effects on the human body and, in a broader sense, on the environment. In relation to the human body, the frequency of mutations is increased, the bone marrow is damaged (chloramphenicol), and the reproductive organs of humans are affected. Carcinogenic effects have been found with antibiotics such as sulfamethazine, oxytetracycline, and furazolidone. We summarized data from 73 scientific studies reporting antimicrobial residues in animal products that were freely available for sale. The studies were published in English starting from 1999 till 2021 and identified through the Pubmed search engine. The aims were to find out which antibiotics, legal or illegal, could be found in animal foods worldwide. Which are stable to get into the food chain and exceed the maximum residue limits (MRL) regarding the EU guidelines as a comparison. Reducing antimicrobial residues in food from animal origin and, in addition to this, fighting the tremendous growth and spread of antimicrobial resistance will undoubtedly be one of the most difficult food safety challenges in the coming years.

Detection of Bacterial Pathogens and Antibiotic Residues in Chicken Meat: A Review

Detection of pathogenic microbes as well as antibiotic residues in food animals, especially in chicken, has become a matter of food security worldwide. The association of various pathogenic bacteria in different diseases and selective pressure induced by accumulated antibiotic residue to develop antibiotic resistance is also emerging as the threat to human health. These challenges have made the containment of pathogenic bacteria and early detection of antibiotic residue highly crucial for robust and precise detection. However, the traditional culture-based approaches are well-comprehended for identifying microbes. Nevertheless, because they are inadequate, time-consuming and laborious, these conventional methods are not predominantly used. Therefore, it has become essential to explore alternatives for the easy and robust detection of pathogenic microbes and antibiotic residue in the food source. Presently, different monitoring, as well as detection techniques like PCR-based, assay (nucleic acid)-based, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA)-based, aptamer-based, biosensor-based, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry-based and electronic nose-based methods, have been developed for detecting the presence of bacterial contaminants and antibiotic residues. The current review intends to summarize the different techniques and underline the potential of every method used for the detection of bacterial pathogens and antibiotic residue in chicken meat.

Recombinant lactobacillin PlnK adjusts the gut microbiome distribution in broilers

1. The heterologous expression and biological function of the Lactobacillus bacteriocin plantaricin K (PlnK) remain largely unknown. 2. In this study, PlnK was efficiently expressed in competent E. coli BL21 (used in transformation and protein expression) after 12 h, at 37°C and in 0.4 mmol/l isopropyl β- d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). 3. The inhibitory bacterial spectrum of recombinant PlnK was investigated and indicated that levels of PlnK above 0.10 mg/ml produced an obvious inhibitory effect on gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria in vitro. 4. The effects of PlnK on intestinal immune function and the gut microbiome distribution in broilers were studied. The results revealed that, after consuming 2.50 × 10^-3 mg/ml of PlnK in water for one week, at the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes was increased and the abundance of Bacleroidetes was decreased. At the family level, the abundance of Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae and Streptococcaceae were significantly improved, but the abundance of Bacteroidaceae was reduced. At the genus level, the abundances of Lachnoclostridium, Streptococcus and Ruminococcaceae-UCG-013, were significantly up-regulated, and the abundance of Bacteroides was down-regulated. 5. After oral liquid intake of PlnK for one week, levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the duodenal mucus were not significantly increased, but the mRNA levels of TLR3, MDA5, IFN-α, IFN-β, IFITM3 and IFITM10 in the duodenum were significantly reduced. 6. This study demonstrated that the recombinant PlnK could adjust the intestinal microbiome distribution and downregulate the IFN pathway.

Residues of Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Induce Carbonylation and Reduce In Vitro Digestion of Sarcoplasmic and Myofibrillar Beef Proteins

Although the impact of oxidation on human health has been of growing interest, the oxidation of proteins, major component of meat, has received little attention. This paper describes the in vitro effect of five fluoroquinolones (FQs) on carbonylation of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins of beef when found at concentrations close to the maximum residue limit (MRL). Samples were treated individually with the FQs, determining in each protein fraction the carbonyl index, protein content and oxidized proteins identification, using 2,4-dinitrophenyhydrazine (DNPH) alkaline assay, Western blot and Bradford methods, and mass spectrometry, respectively. Besides, the in vitro effect of these residues on gastric and duodenal digestion of proteins was evaluated. The carbonylation induced by FQs affected both protein fractions being significant with respect to the blank in 73.3% of cases. This damage was correlated with loss of solubility and digestibility, with sarcoplasmic proteins the most affected. Danofloxacin and enrofloxacin were the FQs with greatest oxidant effects, especially affecting glycolysis and glycogen proteins. Our results suggest that these residues induce irreversible oxidative damage on the main beef proteins and could affect their nutritional value.

Unexpected drug residuals in human milk in Ankara, capital of Turkey

Background

Breast milk is a natural and unique nutrient for optimum growth and development of the newborn. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of unpredictable drug residues in mothers’ milk and the relationship between drug residues and maternal-infant characteristics.

Methods

In a descriptive study, breastfed infants under 3 months of age and their mothers who applied for child health monitoring were enrolled for the study. Information forms were completed for maternal-infant characteristics, breastfeeding problems, crying and sleep characteristics of infants. Maternal and infant anthropometric measurements and maternal milk sample were taken. Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale was applied to mothers. RANDOX Infiniplex kit for milk was used for residual analysis.

Results

Overall, 90 volunteer mothers and their breastfed infants were taken into the study and the mean age of the mothers and their infants was 31.5 ± 4.2 years and 57.8 ± 18.1 days, respectively. Anti-inflammatory drug residues in breast milk were detected in 30.0% of mothers and all had tolfenamic acid. Overall, 94.4% had quinolone, 93.3% beta-lactam, 31.1% aminoglycoside and 13.3% polymycin residues. Drugs used during pregnancy or lactation period were not affected by the presence of residues. Edinburgh postpartum depression scores of mothers and crying and sleeping problems of infants were similar in cases with and without drug residues in breast milk. When controlling confounding factors, maternal body mass index alterations were detected to be significantly lower in mothers with anti-inflammatory drug residues in breast milk than in their counterparts (p = 0.017).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that there are unpredictable drug residues in the milk of many mothers. Anti-inflammatory drug exposure might affect maternal weight change during the postpartum period. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact of drug residues on maternal and infant health.

Antibiotic Residues in Food: Extraction, Analysis, and Human Health Concerns

The abundant use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic residues in frequently consumed foods. Residual antibiotics in food may have adverse effects on humans by directly causing disease via low-dose exposure and indirect harm via antibiotic resistance. However, the current methods for antibiotic extraction and analysis in food have not yet formed a uniform standard, and only a few data exist regarding the residual antibiotic condition in various types of foods. Hence, we review the literature since 2008 to summarize analytical methods and residue status of antibiotics in food. Then, we discuss the causes of antibiotic residues in food and the possible hazards to human health. We hope that the joint efforts of the scientific community and political circles will lead to the formation of a unified standard for the extraction and analysis of antibiotics in food, to allow for comprehensive monitoring of residual antibiotics and ensure human health.

Evaluation of Antibiotics Residues in Chicken Meat Samples in Lebanon

Antibiotic residue in chicken is a human health concern due to its harmful effects on consumer health. This study aims at screening the antibiotic residues from 80 chicken samples collected from farms located in different regions of Lebanon. An optimized multi-class method for identification and quantification of 30 antibiotics from four different chemical classes (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, quinolones, and beta-lactams) has been developed by using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The evaluation of antibiotics residues in 80 chicken muscles samples has shown that 77.5% of samples were at least contaminated with antibiotics residues, out of which 53.75% were exposed to co-occurrence of multidrug residues. The screening of the four antibiotics families has shown that ciprofloxacin (quinolones) represents the highest occurrence percentage (32.5%), followed by amoxicillin (β-lactams) (22.5%) and then tetracyclines (17.5%). Means of sarafloxacin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G residues levels were above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) recommended limit according to the European Union EC. This study revealed that chicken samples collected from Lebanese farms contain antibiotic residues. Guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials agents for chicken should be adopted to reduce the prevalence of resistant Salmonella in chicken.

Analysis of bacterial contamination and antibiotic residue of beef meat from city slaughterhouses in East Java Province, Indonesia

Aim:

This research aimed to analyze the presence of microbial contamination and antibiotic residue in beef meat from city slaughterhouses in East Java Province, Indonesia.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 40 samples from city slaughterhouses were used in this study. The tests for microbial contamination used several methods including total plate count (TPC), most probable number of Escherichia coli, detection of Staphylococcus aureus using Mannitol Salt Agar media, Salmonella spp. detection using Bismuth Sulfite Agar media and Triple Sugar Iron Agar media, and detection of the antibiotic residue by screening tests.

Results:

Most of the samples were contaminated with E. coli (32.5% positive samples) and S. aureus (20.0% positive samples). The mean values of TPC and S. aureus contamination were lower than the maximum limit of contamination, which were 41.58 CFU/g and 13.93 CFU/g, respectively, while the mean value of E. coli contamination was 27.03 CFU/g which was higher than the maximum limit. A low frequency of TPC (5% positive samples) and Salmonella spp. contamination (2.5% positive samples) was found in meat samples. Meat samples from two of the surveyed slaughterhouses were tested positive for antibiotic residue and six of the 40 samples (15%) were also tested positive for the antibiotic residue.

Conclusion:

It was concluded that most of the microbial contamination in beef meat from city slaughterhouses was below the maximum limit of contamination and only two slaughterhouses were found antibiotic residues in the meat samples.

Effect of dietary xylooligosaccharides on intestinal characteristics, gut microbiota, cecal short-chain fatty acids, and plasma immune parameters of laying hens

This study examined the prebiotic effects of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) on intestinal characteristics, gut microbiota, cecal short-chain fatty acids, plasma calcium metabolism, and immune parameters of laying hens. A total of 1,080 White Lohmann laying hens (28 wk of age) was assigned to 6 dietary treatments that included XOS at concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, or 0.05% for 8 weeks. Each treatment had 6 replicates with 10 cages (3 birds/cage). Blood, intestinal tissues, and cecal digesta samples were collected from chickens at the end of the experiment. Villus height, crypt depth, the villus to crypt (VH: CD) ratio, and the relative length of different intestinal sections were evaluated. Additionally, the number of microorganisms and the content of short-chain fatty acids in cecal digesta samples were determined. Plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M (IgM), interleukin 2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), calcitonin (CT), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were also determined. The results showed that villus height and the VH: CD ratio of the jejunum were increased (linear, P < 0.01) with the increase in dietary XOS concentration, and the relative length of the jejunum (P = 0.03) was increased significantly in XOS diets. Dietary supplementation of XOS significantly increased (linear, P < 0.01) the number of Bifidobacteria in the cecum; however, total bacteria count, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli in the cecum were not affected by XOS supplementation. In addition, inclusion of XOS increased (linear, P < 0.01) the content of butyrate in the cecum; and the content of acetic acid showed a linear increasing trend (P = 0.053) with increasing concentration of XOS in the diets. Supplementation with XOS increased (quadratic, P < 0.05) the content of 1,25(OH)2D3 in plasma. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the content of CT and PTH among dietary treatments. Furthermore, dietary XOS increased contents of IgA (linear, P < 0.05), TNF-α (linear, P < 0.05), IgM (linear, P < 0.05; quadratic, P < 0.05), and IL-2 (quadratic, P < 0.05). Taken together, it was suggested that supplemental XOS can enhance the intestinal health and immune function of laying hens by positively influencing the intestinal characteristics, gut microbiota, cecal short-chain fatty acids, and immune parameters.

Antibiotic Residues in Chicken Meat: Global Prevalence, Threats, and Decontamination Strategies: A Review

Poultry production is among the most rapidly growing industries around the globe, and poultry is one of the major sources of meat. Poultry farmers use disease preventive and growth promoter antibiotics for faster growth of chickens in the shortest possible time to increase the rate of feed assimilation and to lower the incidence of mortality caused by a pathogen attack. Antibiotics may result in dysfunctionality of beneficial gut microbiota and increase resistance among microbial pathogens in poultry. Residues of these antibiotics in poultry meat have been determined in many of the studies globally and are considered one of the possible causes of antibacterial resistance in human pathogens. The presence of residues of antibiotics in poultry meat and meat products beyond maximum permissible limits is a matter of serious concern. Heat treatments can reduce the risk of some sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones but do not guarantee the complete elimination or degradation of these antibiotic residues present in broiler meat. Some of the developed countries, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the European Union have already prohibited the application of antibiotics for preventive, as well as growth-promoting purposes. Training farmers to monitor withdrawal periods, banning the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, and adopting the veterinary feed directive of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are important parameters to mitigate the emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria related to poultry production.

Antibiotic Use in Agriculture and Its Consequential Resistance in Environmental Sources: Potential Public Health Implications

Due to the increased demand of animal protein in developing countries, intensive farming is instigated, which results in antibiotic residues in animal-derived products, and eventually, antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is of great public health concern because the antibiotic-resistant bacteria associated with the animals may be pathogenic to humans, easily transmitted to humans via food chains, and widely disseminated in the environment via animal wastes. These may cause complicated, untreatable, and prolonged infections in humans, leading to higher healthcare cost and sometimes death. In the said countries, antibiotic resistance is so complex and difficult, due to irrational use of antibiotics both in the clinical and agriculture settings, low socioeconomic status, poor sanitation and hygienic status, as well as that zoonotic bacterial pathogens are not regularly cultured, and their resistance to commonly used antibiotics are scarcely investigated (poor surveillance systems). The challenges that follow are of local, national, regional, and international dimensions, as there are no geographic boundaries to impede the spread of antibiotic resistance. In addition, the information assembled in this study through a thorough review of published findings, emphasized the presence of antibiotics in animal-derived products and the phenomenon of multidrug resistance in environmental samples. This therefore calls for strengthening of regulations that direct antibiotic manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and prescription, hence fostering antibiotic stewardship. Joint collaboration across the world with international bodies is needed to assist the developing countries to implement good surveillance of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance.

Evaluation of Antibiotic Residues in Raw Meat Using Different Analytical Methods

Antibiotic residue in meat is a serious public health concern due to its harmful effects on consumer health. This study aimed at estimating the residue levels of four commonly used antibiotics in meat samples using three analytical methods (ELISA, TLC and HPLC). A total of 150 samples of raw meat from sales points were analysed for ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and sulphanilamide residues. Overall, ELISA analysis showed that 56, 34, 18, and 25.3% of the samples tested positive for ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, sulphanilamide and tetracycline residues respectively while TLC and HPLC detected 21.4, 29.4, 92.5, and 14.6%, and 8.3, 41.1, 88.8, and 14.6% of the samples as containing the residues, with ciprofloxacin and sulphanilamide having the lowest and highest occurrence, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of antibiotic residues were in the ranges of 19.8-92.8, 26.6-489.1, 14.2-1280.8, and 42.6-355.6 μg/kg with ELISA, while HPLC detected concentration ranges of 20.7-82.1, 41.8-320.8, 65.2-952.2 and 32.8-95.6 μg/kg for sulphanilamide, tetracycline, streptomycin, and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Mean ciprofloxacin and streptomycin residue levels were above the Codex/SA MRL recommended limit, while 3% of the samples contained multidrug residues. Although some of the mean residues levels were below the permissible limits, the co-occurrence of multidrug residues in some of the samples calls for concern.

Investigation of enrofloxacin residues in broiler tissues using ELISA and LC-MS/MS

This study investigated the efficiency of an enrofloxacin ELISA test kit to detect the presence of enrofloxacin residues in broiler tissues compared with LC-MS/MS. Broiler tissues from 72 samples consisting of 60 breast muscle, six pools of livers (500 g each) and six pools of kidneys (500 g each) were obtained from six different slaughterhouses. Breast muscle from 10 carcasses and pools of livers and kidneys from approximately 200 carcasses of the same flock were collected from each slaughterhouse. ELISA and HPLC were used to identify and quantify the contamination of the samples with enrofloxacin. A total of 72% of the analysed samples contained enrofloxacin residues detected by the ELISA and 22.2% were detected by LC-MS/MS. The mean values of enrofloxacin contamination found in chicken breast by ELISA and HPLC were 8.63 and 12.25 μg kg(-1), respectively. None of the samples exceeded the maximum limit of 100 μg kg(-1) by both methods set by the European Union as well as the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry. All positive samples for enrofloxacin residues detected by LC-MS/MS were also positive by ELISA. These data confirm the efficiency of the ELISA test, and suggest its use as a screening method for enrofloxacin residues in poultry tissues due to its quick results, low price and ease of applicability.

Investigation of enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol residues in broiler chickens carcasses collected from local markets of tabriz, northwestern iran

BACKGROUND

The present study was aimed to determine the residual amounts of chloramphenicol and enrofloxacin in broiler chickens muscle and liver sam-ples gathered from local markets of Tabriz City, northwestern Iran.

METHODS

Ninety broiler chickens carcasses were collected from different local markets of Tabriz, during July/August 2013. Random samples of thigh and breast muscle and liver were gathered and kept at -80(°)C until analyzes. The samples were then assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) according to the protocol of each antibiotic kit. Data were statistically analyzed using the computer program SAS 9.1.

RESULTS

Eighty two samples (91/1 %) contained residues of enrofloxacin, alt-hough mean (±SD)of enrofloxacin concentration was lower than the European Union maximum residue limits(MRLs) value (P<0.001). Moreover, 28 (31/1 %) had detectable concentrations of chloramphenicol while it was not defined any MRLs value for chloramphenicol because its using has been forbidden in food animals.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of contamination with enrofloxacin was considerable for the analyzed samples. Furthermore, the existence of chloramphenicol in almost one third of samples seems to be a public health threat due to its illegal use in food animals including poultry.