Join the GACS

Posted by Andrew Wadge on May 30th 2007 in Science in Government

I was delighted that the FSA Board recognised the strength of the Agency's science base when I delivered my first annual report as Chief Scientist to them earlier this month, something I blogged about at the time.

But I don't want to be complacent, so I've committed to strengthening our position further over the coming year.

One way in which we will achieve this is through the establishment of a new scientific advisory committee – the General Advisory Committee on Science (GACS).

When I last blogged about GACS I said I would keep you updated on developments. Lately we launched the recruitment exercise for this committee. We want to appoint a senior scientist as Chair and are looking for a number of expert and lay members to sit on the committee. They will be joined by the Chairs of the nine existing scientific advisory committees that serve the Agency.

If you have scientific expertise in an area relevant to the Agency’s work, or if you have experience of working on consumer issues and in a committee context, then I encourage you to apply.  Information packs, including application forms, are available on the FSA website. The closing date for applications is 21 June 2007.

A position on GACS provides an exciting opportunity to provide independent challenge and advice to me, as the Chief Scientist, and to the Board on the Agency’s use of scientific evidence and advice. 

Other responsibilities for GACS include horizon scanning, developing good practice and informing science priorities. 

I am sure that we will attract some excellent candidates and I will keep you informed here on my blog setting out the next steps for this committee following the recruitment exercise.

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Possible contaminants in our foods

Posted by Andrew Wadge on 19/06/2007 - 08:54

Thanks Terence. You've raised some good questions about the role of the Agency in residue monitoring.

Food companies are responsible for ensuring their food is safe and any veterinary medicine residue levels are below legal maximums. I’d be interested to see if they take the opportunity through this blog to tell consumers about how they do this.

Although the Agency doesn’t monitor industry testing methods directly, we act as a watchdog to ensure that food safety is given high priority during the authorisation and monitoring processes for veterinary medicines, so that any residues in food are as low as practically possible and within safe limits.

We make suggestions to target residues and foods of concern to the independent Veterinary Residues Committee.

They advise the Veterinary Medicines Directorate on the national residue surveillance programmes which, together with local authority testing, monitors compliance.

The results of their surveillance are passed to us, and we assess any risks and take action if needed.

The Agency does not recommend specific tests, such as the SEM ELISA tests mentioned, but we do encourage the food industry to use validated methods in their sample testing and welcome the development of new and robust methods to do this.

As for nitrofuratoin metabolite residues (AHD), these are routinely sought along with the other three principal nitrofuran metabolites using LC-MS-MS in the national sampling programmes. AHD residues have yet to be found in the UK.

We are keen to receive any monitoring intelligence and actively encourage dialogue with industry about residues. The Agency has helped to create action groups on such issues as nicarbazin residues in chicken and antibiotics in milk to help industry monitor and reduce any veterinary medicine residue levels found.

Possible Contaminants In Our Foods....

Posted by Terence M. Blackett (not verified) on 05/06/2007 - 17:45

Florfenicol, also called fluorine Thiamphenicol (Florfenicol, FF) which is a derivative of Thiamphenicol (TAP). Florfenicol is widely used to treat livestock, fowl, aquaculture and bee product for its obvious function on various gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria, mycoplasma. But its residues in food easily cause the latent aplastic anemia, so the United Nations Code of Food Statute Committee (CAC) and many countries stipulated that Florfenicol (FF) residues in food must be below 0.1ppm, Japanese detection limit is below 0.1ppm, Chinese detection limit is 1ppm. Florfenicol is determined most commonly by HPLC or LC/MS before, this method has disadvantages regarding sample pre-processing, laboratory practice, time and cost requirement.

Benzyl Penicillin is widely applicable antibiotic, which is commonly employed in prevention, therapy, diagnosis of animal disease, or adjustment of physiological functions. Benzyl Penicillin is synthesized to control animal disease effectively and promote the healthy development of farming industry. If animals absorb it too much, will cause Bp-residues in animal food. Mankind produces allergic reaction and tolerance to a drug resulting from taking high residue food. Use of Benzyl Penicillin was restricted in the EU and America. The EU regulated that maximum residue in milk is 4μg/kg; Chinese Agriculture Ministry made corresponding national policies restrict its application.

Ractopamine belongs to beta stimulants, which is added in feed to improve growth speed and efficiency of lean meat and to make meat slippery. Man may appear with poisoned symptoms after eating meat that containing Ractopamine; sometimes, it may endanger life seriously.

Enrofloxacin is quinolones antibiotics, which is used in veterinary diagnosis and aquiculture to improve growth speed, prevent and treat disease as important drug against infection for its inhibition bacteria DNA gyrase, broad antibacterial, high efficiency, low toxicity .
Enrofloxacin ELISA Test Kit based on competitive enzyme immunoassay for the quantitative analysis of Enrofloxacin in fish, shrimp, honey, serum, tissue and liver (chicken, pork), etc.

Furazolidone is synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic and can treat animal disease, which is frequently employed in animal and aquaculture production. But Furazolidone and its metabolite residues in animal food are passed to human through the food chain, regularly taking it them will cause various diseases, which can lead to cancer, teratogenesis and other side effects. Furazolidone was prohibited from use in food animal production in the EU in 1995 and strictly implemented detection of Furazolidone, along with this America formulated the corresponding policy and regulations in 2002. The use of Nitrofurantoin was classified as forbidden drugs in Veterinary Medicine and other Compounds banned in Food Animal Lists which is published by Chinese Agriculture Ministry in March, 2002.

Nitrofurans are synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotics which are frequently employed in animal production for its excellent antibacterial and pharmacokinetic properties. They had been also used as growth promoters in the pig production industry, poultry and fish sector. In long term studies with experimental animals, the parent drugs and their metabolites showed carcinogenic and mutagenic characteristics. This has led to a prohibition of naturfurans for the treatment used for food production. The naturfurans drugs furantadone, Nitrofurantoin and nitrofurazone were banned from use in food animal production in the EU in 1993, and the use Furazolidone was prohibited in 1995.
The analysis of residues of Nitrofurans drugs needs to be based on the detection of the tissue bound metabolites of the Nitrofurans parent drugs. Through science the parent drugs are very rapidly metabolized, they are not detectable for a short time after treatment. The tissue bound Nitrofurans metabolites are detectable for a long time after administration and therefore they are used for the detection of the abuse of Nitrofurans. Nitrofuran metabolites are found after administration of Furanltadone (AMOZ), Furazolidone (AOZ), Nitrofurazone (SEM), and Nitrofurantoin (AHD).
AMOZ-residues are determined most commonly by LC-UV,LC-MS techniques. Enzyme immunoassay, compared with chromatographic methods, show considerable advantages regarding sensitivity, detection limit, technical equipment and time requirement.
Using the RIDSCREEN Nitrofuran (AMOZ) test, it is possible to detect AMOZ in fish, shrimps, honey, meat (chicken, pork, beef) and liver.

Sulfaquinoxaline is widespread use of antibiotics, which has considerable effect on controlling and treating animal disease. Sulfaquinoxaline in human body causes tolerance of drug and result in potential cancer for its serious side effect.
Competitive enzyme immunoassay shows considerable advantages regarding sensitivity, detection limit, technical equipment and time requirement; SQX ELISA test kit is possible to detect Sulfaquinoxaline in urine, serum, honey, milk, whole egg, muscle and liver.

Clenbuterol belongs to beta stimulant, and is high selective stimulant and hormone, which is widely employed in cure of bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and can increase muscle, reduce fat sediment, promote animal growth. It is frequently added in feed to improve animal growth. Because its input quantity is larger than treatment quantity, Clenbuterol residue in animals brings serious danger to customers. No institution approves that Clenbuterol is used to promote the animal growth.
Clenbuterol ELISA test kit has considerable advantages regarding sensitivity, detection limit, technical equipment and time requirement based on competitive enzyme immunoassay; it is possible to detect Clenbuterol in urine, serum, feed, muscle and liver.

Sulfanethazine (SM2) is wide use antibiotic, which has remarkable effect on controlling and curing livestock and poultry diseases. But it is easy to remain in animal body; also has considerable side effect on human, which can cause faint, headache, exhaust, nausea, vomit, etc; lead to hemolytic anemia, a vacuity of granulocyte, allergic reaction and damage urinary and nervous system; cause the increasing tolerance of drugs. It was regulated that maximum Sulfanethazine residue limit in animal food and feed is 100ppb in America, China, the EU.
Sulfanethazine (SM2) is determined by enzyme immunoassay, shows considerable advantages regarding sensitivity, detection limit, technical equipment and time requirement. It is possible to detect Sulfanethazine in egg, honey, milk, urine, serum, muscle and liver.

Chloramphenicol is broad-spectrum antibiotic which is frequently employed in livestock, poultry, aquatic food and honey product to treat various infectious diseases for its excellent in effect and price. It can restrain blood-forming of bone marrow and lead to aplastic anemia, granulocytes deficiency. Chloramphenicol was banned from use food animal production in many countries.

Chloramphenicol ELISA test kit based on Competitive enzyme immunoassay shows considerable advantages regarding sensitivity detection limit, technical equipment and time requirement. It is possible to detect Chloramphenicol in intestine, honey, milk, whole egg, urine, serum, muscle and liver.

Nitrofurantoin is synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic and can kill various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, which is frequently employed in animal and aquaculture production. But Nitrofurantoin and its metabolite in animal food is passed to human through the food chain, regularly taking them can cause plenty of diseases, which can lead to cancer, teratogenesis and other side effects. Nitrofurantoin was banned from use in food animal production in the EU, and analysis of Nitrofurantoin was strictly implemented, along with this, America formulated the corresponding policy and regulations in 2002. The use of Nitrofurantoin was is classified as forbidden drugs in Veterinary Medicine and other Compound Detailed Banned in Food Animal Lists which was published by Ministry of Chinese Agriculture in March, 2002.

Streptomycin has visible side effect on nerve of audibility which is easy to lead to deafness and dangerous for allergic unborn child. In order to protect customers’ health, the EU and American regulated that Streptomycin in milk don’t have to surpass 200ppb, in honey must be below 20ppb, in muscle and liver don’t have to surpass 500ppb.

Gentamicin is aminoglycoside antibiotic which is employed in animal disease treatment. It has nerve toxicity and health effects for its residues in animal food. Gentamicin was banned from use in food animal production in the EU, America, and China. At present, ELISA test method is considered to be analysis of Gentamicin and is widely used.

Tylosin is macrolide antibiotic, which can promote the animal growth, improve feed efficiency, control chicken chronic respiratory disease, treat dysentery and bacterial pneumonia, is used as special antibacterial agent and feed additive in poultry and livestock production. Its high distribution in body is easy to accumulate and cause chronic poisoning, liver damaged, and auditory handicap. American Food and Drug Administration stipulated that permissible concentration of Tylosin in edible tissue and protein are 0.2ppm, in milk is 0.05ppm, and in the Chinese Agriculture Ministry 235th document stipulated that its maximum residues limit is 100 mu g/kg.

The question is how are the major food companies in Britain policing these possible residues within our food? Additionally, is the role of the FSA as aggressive in monitoring the stringency of the process?

Semicarbazide

Posted by Terence M. Blackett (not verified) on 05/06/2007 - 16:55

Furacili is synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic and can treat animal desease widely , which is frequently employed in animal and aquaculture production. But Furacilin and its metabolite residues in animal food and is subsequently passed to human through the food chain. Taking this antibiotic residual regularly causes various diseases, which can lead to cancer, teratogenesis and other side effects.

Furacilin was banned from use in food industry in Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and analsysis of Nitrofuran was strictly implemented in Aquatic Products.

The Japanese positive list regulated that Nitrofuran medicine must be detected out. The use of Nitrofurantoin was classified as forbidden drugs in Veterinary medicine and other compound detailed banned in food animal lists which was published by Ministry of Chinese Agriculture in March 2002.
AHD-residues are determined most commonly by HPLC, LC-MS before. Enzyme immunoassays, compared with chromatographic methods, show quite good advantages regarding sensitivty , simple process , technical equipment and time requirement.

My question is:- Is the FSA doing all in its power in collaboration with all the major food manufacturers, Import suppliers to make every efforts to solve the complex technical problems, firstly through the usuage of a SEM ELISA test kits - the first of its kind in the world. This test kit is used to detect SEM-residues in food based on enzyme inmmunoassays, indirectly to detect Furacili. Compared with HPLC and LC-MS method, ELISA test result is coincident with chromatographic methods, which has considerable advantages regarding sensitivity, specificity, accurate analysis of quota, sample pre-processing and time requirement.

It is possible to detect nitrofurantoin metabolite residue in animal tissue (muscle & liver), in honey, milk as well as aquatic products like (fish, shrimp), and is suitable to screen massive samples.