Safety through the Food Chain: Animal Health and Plant Health.

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  • Created by: caolan24
  • Created on: 06-12-18 10:17

Veterinary Medicines Residues

What are Veterinary Meds?

  • Used to treat sick animals or prevent diseases in heard or flocks of animals - Sheep dips, flea treatments, wormers, sprays for infection and antibiotics.  
  • Every VM must be approved by the VMD before it can be sold and used on any animal in the UK. (undertakes strict testing to ensure consumer health is not at risk) 
  • The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) -  is the regulatory body in charge of monitoring VM in the UK. They monitor and report on the residue of VM in food. 

Food Standards Agency (FSA) - monitors the activity of the VMD in relation to food production and safety. It believes that consumers have to expect that any residue of VM does not present health risks.  

Maximum Residue Level (MRL) - Maximum amount of VM reside that is safely allowed to be present in food obtained from animals, accepted by the EU.

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Plant Health and Pesticides

Healthy plants are vital to sustainable and profitable crop production and to the quality and cost of the UK's food supply.  

- Variables affecting plant health: Environment/Land and the extent to which they are protected from pest/diseases.  

What are pesticides and why are they used? 

Used to protect plants and crops from pest, weeds and fungal diseases.

- By Law everyone who used pesticides must: 

  • Take precautions to protect human health.
  • When using pesticides they are as low as possible.

How are they monitored?    

Monitored through a program by the Pesticide Monitoring Committee

- Measures the pesticide levels within foods, ensuring they are within legal limits. 

 

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Pesticides cont.

Are there any health risks of exceeding safety limits?

None of the pesticides used today cause DNA damage (genotoxic). 

- Adverse effects are common in low-income countries when exposure occurs above the date limit = DNA cell damage/Cancer, reproductive problems due to acute poisoning. 

Toxicity level depends on the route of exposure (e.g swallowing, inhaling, direct contact with skin) and the type of pesticide used.  

How to prevent and control?

  • People spreading pesticides should be properly protected and those near should stay away from the area before and after spraying. 
  • Consumer man limits their intake by properly washing or peeling fruits and vegetables

 

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Mycotoxins

Naturally occurring chemicals that are produced by certain moulds. 

- Found on foods such as apple juice, coffee, fruits and vegetables, cereals, nuts etc. 

- They often grow in warm/humid conditions. 

Health effects 

  • Aflatoxins are most toxic and are genotoxic (cause DNA damage and cause cancer). 
  • Other mycotoxins can cause kidney damage, reproductive disorders, gastroenteritis and suppression of the immune system

A tolerable daily intake has been established (TDI) which estimates the number of mycotoxins one can be exposed to over a lifetime. 

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Veterinary Medicines Residues cont.

- Non-Observed (Adverse) Effect Level (NO(A)EL) 

  Highest does of VM that does not cause any health risk in human. This    is then divided by a safety factor to determine the Acceptable Daily    Intake (ADI)

-Maximum Residue Level (MRL) 

 Maximum amount of VM reside that is safely allowed to be present in   food obtained from animals, accepted by the EU.

- Non-Observed (Adverse) Effect Level (NO(A)EL) 

  Highest does of VM that does not cause any health risk in human. This    is then divided by a safety factor to determine the Acceptable Daily    Intake (ADI)

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