Detection of Antimicrobial Agent in Meat in Thonburi Area, Bangkok

Abstract

Thailand is a country of agricultural society where large numbers of animals are raised for consumption and export, especially pork, chicken, and shrimp. In animal husbandry, antimicrobial agents are used to accelerating growth, prevent, and treat diseases. Nowadays, the trend of using antimicrobials in animal husbandry has become an important public health problem for consumers. The purpose of the present research was to analyze antimicrobial residues in white shrimp, chicken, and pork sold in markets and supermarkets in the Thonburi area, Bangkok with 105 samples (35 samples per type) for three groups of antimicrobial dominance (group A: tetracycline; group B: macrolide; aminoglycoside; sulfonamide; and group C: penicillin). The results showed that shrimp and chicken had the most group B antimicrobial residues (97.1 and 85.7%, respectively), while pork had the most residues of group C antimicrobials (71.4%). Group B antimicrobial residues in shrimp, chicken, and pork samples were statistically different (p<0.05). In addition, 83 samples (79.0%) of meat with more than one group of antimicrobial residues were found. The results of this study indicate that antimicrobial residues are common in animal husbandry processes. The situation of antimicrobial residues in meat should be continuously monitored for surveillance of the spread of antimicrobial agents and microorganisms to the environment and the safety of meat consumption.