Milk-and-Dairy-Products-in-Human-Nutrition-FAO

Chapter 6 – Safety and quality 251
concluded that rBST can be used without any appreciable health risk to consumers;
this reaffirmed the ADI and maximum residue limits (MRLs), which had previously
been set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) as
“not specified” 53 based on the assumption that the drugs are administered to foodproducing
animals in accordance with good practice in the use of veterinary drugs.
Until now, no international Codex Alimentarius standard has been adopted for
rBST, although further scientific evaluation has been requested from JECFA (the
responsible FAO/WHO Committee). In the absence of a global standard, control
and use of rBST differs between countries; some allow its use in dairy cattle while
others have banned its use because of concern over animal welfare and public health.
Because it is not possible to differentiate between the hormones produced naturally
by the animal and those used to treat the animal, it is difficult to determine
exactly how much of the hormone used for treatment remains in the meat or the
milk. Studies indicate that if correct treatment and slaughter procedures are followed,
the levels of these hormones may be slightly higher in meat or milk from
treated animals than in those from untreated animals but are still within the normal
range of natural variation known to occur in untreated animals.
Pesticides and insecticides
Pesticide residues in milk may come from a number of sources, including water, soil
or air, contaminated animal feeds or pesticides applied to cattle or their direct living
environment to kill disease vectors (mites, ticks, insects) (Fischer et al., 2003).
Significant advances have been made in strengthening regulatory and registration
controls, quality and safety of pesticides and application of best practices by farmers
and processors. Newer pesticides are more readily metabolized and excreted than
were earlier pesticides, and thus do not tend to accumulate within the animal’s body.
The Codex Alimentarius Pesticide residues in food and feed database lists MRLs
for a wide range of pesticides (FAO and WHO, 2012). The application of modern
pesticides on feed and forage plants presents little risk of significant residues appearing
in milk as long as farmers adhere strictly to good agricultural practice.
Dairy-plant chemicals
Cleaning and disinfection of dairy plants commonly involve the use of cleaning
compounds and sanitizers, many of which may be extremely toxic at high levels.
They should thus be stored and used according to manufacturers’ directions and in
ways that ensure that they do not contaminate milk or dairy products and equipment
used to process and handle dairy products (Fischer et al., 2003). Thorough
draining and rinsing after use are essential and common good hygiene practice.
53 ADI “not specified” – veterinary drugs
Available data on the toxicity and intake of the veterinary drug indicate a large margin of safety for
consumption of residues in food when the drug is used according to good practice in the use of veterinary
drugs. For that reason, and for the reasons stated in the individual evaluation, the Committee
has concluded that use of the veterinary drug does not represent a dietary hazard to human health
and that there is no need to specify a numerical ADI (WHO, ILO and UNEP, undated).