IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1

Research articleerd

Estimated Maximum Daily Intake of Streptomycin Residuein Pork Consumed by Age and Gender Groups in thePhilippines
VENN VUTEY*
Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom
Penh, Cambodia
Email: vennvutey@gmail.com

LOINDA R. BALDIAS
CVM-UPLB, Philippines

BILLY P. DIVINA
CVM-UPLB, Philippines

RIO JOHN T. DUCUSIN
Chair of Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, CVM-UPLB, Philippines
Received 14 December 2011

Accepted 7 February 2012(*: Corresponding Author)

Abstract Dietary intake of significant amounts of residues can lead to adverse healtheffects and the development of antimicrobial resistance in the population. This study wasconducted to determine dietary intake of antibiotic drug residues in pork consumed in thePhilippines. The specific aim was to estimate maximum daily intake of streptomycin
residue (EMDISTC) by age and gender groups. Parameters such as maximum residue limits(MRL), 90th percentile food consumption, body weight, age and gender groups weregathered from local and international institutions. A mathematical equation was used to
calculate EMDISTC from MRL multiplied by the 90th percentile food consumption andadjusted by body weight. In the present study, the EMDISTC for infants from birth to lessthan 12 months of age had the highest intake ratio of streptomycin residue followed bychildren, adolescents and adults where males were significantly higher than females(p<0.05). Based on the findings of the present study, it is concluded that streptomycin
detected in pork affects infants from birth to less than 12 months that are more likely to
consume it and more vulnerable due to physical activity. This is the first attempt toestimate dietary intake of antibiotic residues in the Philippines. Improvement ofmathematical models used in this study is proposed to prioritize better models forveterinary drug residues to ensure the safety of food produced from farm to table.
Keywords: dietary intake, pork, antibiotic residue, age-gender group, Philippines

INTRODUCTION
Food needs to be consumed for maintenance of human functions. Food has to be safe for humanconsumption. Food safety is imperative for the development and maintenance of a healthy
population (Titus, 2007). Consequently, health effects and safety aspects of food are important
issues   for   today’s   consumers.  There   are   increasing   public   health  concerns  that   drug   residues   and  their metabolites could be found in meat and other foods of animal origin may and cause adverse
effects  on  consumers’  health  (EFSA,  2007).
Through time livestock production has evolved from small scale to large scale integrative
farming (NMIS, 2006). This required the increased use of veterinary drugs. These are used to cureor prevent diseases in animals, to increase feed efficiency or growth rate, and to sedate animals inorder to minimize the effect of stress (Botsoglou and Flatouris, 2001; Doyle, 2006). With theⒸ ISERD62

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1

widespread use of veterinary drugs in animal production, there is global concern about theconsumption of foods of animal origin that may contain residues and their possible adverse effects
on human health (Huss et al., 2004). For instance, with the use of antimicrobials in animal
production, there is a possibility for the creation of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in animals that
may be transferred to man (FSIS, 2000; Doyle, 2006). Boden (2005) cited that drug residues infood   are   regarded   as   very   important   from   the   public  health’s   point   of   view.   Moreover, there has
been concern about carryover of veterinary drug residues in meat, eggs, and milk to people
consuming these foods (Botsoglou and Flatouris, 2001; Doyle, 2006). Potential hazards associatedwith the presence of veterinary drug residues in edible tissues have been reported to cause toxic orallergic reactions, anaphylactic reactions, headache, and severe aplastic anaemia (WHO, 1999;Kelly, 2005).
Thorough literature search revealed no available study on estimated antibiotic drug residues inpork consumed using mathematical equations in the Philippines. With the increase in reports ofoccurrence of risk of veterinary drug residues in foods of animal origin in the last two decades(Health Canada, 2003a, Sumner et al., 2004), there is a strong need to study dietary intake ofveterinary drug residues. To date, there is no local study conducted on the prediction for residual
antibiotics in the Philippines. Thus, this study aims to derive an estimated maximum daily intake of
streptomycin residues in pork consumed by age and gender groups in the Philippines.
The overall objective of the study is to determine dietary intake of antibiotic drug residues inpork consumed in the Philippines. The specific aim is to estimate maximum daily intake of
streptomycin residue by age and gender groups.
METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted using secondary data collected from local and international institutions
for estimating EMDI (estimated maximum daily intake). For instance, local data like the report onveterinary drug residue (2003-2008) from National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS),
recommendation on Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) published by the Bureau of Aquaculture
Fisheries and Product Standard (BAFPS), the report of Food Consumption Survey in 2003 andRecommended Energy and Nutrient Intake in 2002 published by Food and Nutrition ResearchInstitute (FNRI), and the development of antimicrobial resistance from Research Institute forTropical Medicine (RITM). International data came from Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)
on amount of antibiotic drug residues, the procedural guidelines on residues of veterinary drugs infood from JECFA, and from an updated report of the 32nd session of the Codex Veterinary DrugResidues in Food 2009.
EMDI modelling combines MRL data with 90th percentile food consumption data and bodyweight factor to estimate EMDI. The basic EMDI model is of the form:
EMDI = [MRL X 90th percentile food consumption] ÷ weight factor
where EMDI is an estimate of drug residue intake expressed in µg/kg BW/day.
RESULTS
Streptomycin is active against a wide range of gram-negative organisms and some gram-positive
pathogens in pigs, cattle and sheep. Streptomycin was evaluated by the Codex Committee at its 12 thmeeting in 1969, 43rd meeting in November 1994, 48th meeting in 1998, report of the 11th session of
the Codex Committee on residues of veterinary drugs in food in September 1998 and updated as of
the 32nd session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in July 2009. The committee proposed atemporary  MRL’s  for  streptomycin  at  600  µg/kg  (muscle,  liver,  fat).
The reference weight for adults, 59 kg for males and 51 kg for females, and the average
weight in the Philippines, 55 kg (FNRI, 2003) as well as the 90 th percentile food consumption percapita in the Philippines and three islands are shown in Table 1.

Ⓒ ISERD

63

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1

Table 1 Mean one-day per capita pork consumption (gram, raw, as purchased) 2003
food consumption survey
Fresh Meat
Pork
Mean
95% Cl
P90

Philippines

Luzon

VisayasMindanao

31.80
31.76, 31.83
108.2139.89
39.84, 39.93
127.31

23.07
23.01, 23.14
88.50

18.24
18.19, 18.30
57.29

Source: FNRI, 2003

However, the weight difference between age groups: infants, adolescents, adults and older; the90 percentile food consumption per capita; and average weights in the Philippines were calculatedusing Eq. (1) below.
thThe 90th percentile food consumption difference age groups = [average weight difference agegroups × the 90th percentile food consumption per capita in the Philippines] ÷ average weights
in the Philippines(1)
Using Eq. (1), the 90th percentile food consumption different age groups was calculated
separately by ages (infants, children, adolescents, and adults), gender, average weights in different
age groups, and average weight in the Philippines. A summary for computation of the 90thpercentile food consumption in the Philippines is shown in Table 2.
Table 2 Summary of 90th percentile pork consumption per capita by age group and average
weight in the Philippines, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
Weight(kg)Philippines
(g)

Luzon
(g)

Visayas(g)

Mindanao(g)Birth- <6 (3)
6-<12 (9)691218

1421

1015

69

1-3 (2.5)
4-6 (5.5)
7-9 (8.5)

1
19
24

26
37
47

30
44
55

21
31
39

13
20
25

10-12 (11.5)
13-15 (14.5)
16-18 (17.5)

34
50
58

67
98
114

79
115
134

55
81
94

35
52
60

10-12 (11.5)
13-15 (14.5)
16-18 (17.5)

35
49
50

69
96
98

81
113
115

57
79
81

36
51
52

19-49
50-64
65 and over

59
59
59

116
116
116

136
136
136

95
95
95

61
61
61

19-49
50-64
65 and over

51
51
51

100
100
100

118
118
118

83
83
83

53
53
53

Age Groups
1. Infants, mo

2. Children, y

3. Adolescents, males, y

4. Adolescents, females, y5. Adults, males, y

6. Adults, females, yEq. (2) was used to calculate the EMDI of streptomycin residues by adaptation from the valueof Eq. (1) then multipled by MRL muscle tissue and adjusted by weight factor as recommended byⒸ ISERD

64

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1Codex committee and Philippines National Standard. Then comparison of estimates ofstreptomycin residues intake was computed.
EMDISTC= [MRL × the 90th percentile food consumption difference age groups] ÷ average
weights differences age groups(2)Table 3 summarizes the EMDI of streptomycin residue for all locations. Particulars for thecomputation of EMDI of streptomycin residue in the Philippines, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
are shown in Appendix B Tables 2 to 5 (Venn et al., 2010).
Table 3 Summary of EMDI of streptomycin residue intake of fresh pork in the Philippines,Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
Age Groups

Philippines(µg/kgBW/day)Luzon(µg/kgBW/day)Visayas(µg/kgBW/day)

Mindanao(µg/kgBW/day)Birth- <6 (3)
6-<12 (9)Average1.20001.20001.20001.40001.40001.40001.00001.00001.00000.60000.60000.60001-3 (2.5)
4-6 (5.5)
7-9 (8.5)
Average
Adolescents, Males, y10-12 (11.5)
13-15 (14.5)
16-18 (17.5)

1.20001.1684
1.17501.18111.38461.3894
1.37501.38300.96920.97890.97500.97430.60000.63150.62500.61881.1823
1.17601.1793

1.39411.38001.38620.97050.97200.97240.61760.62400.6206Adolescents, Females, y10-12 (11.5)
13-15 (14.5)
16-18 (17.5)

1.18281.1755
1.17601.38851.38361.38000.9771
0.96730.97200.61710.62440.6240

Average

1.17861.1854

0.97180.6212

1.1796
1.1796
1.17961.38301.38301.38300.96610.96610.96610.62030.62030.620319-49
50-64
65 and over

1.1764
1.1764
1.1764

1.3882
1.3882
1.3882

0.9764
0.9764
0.97640.62350.62350.6235

Average

1.17801.1856

0.97120.6219

Infants, moChildren, yAdults, males, y
19-49
50-64
65 and overAdults, females, yFig. 1 shows that EMDI of streptomycin residues for infants is 1.2 µg/kg BW/day from birth
to less than 12 months of age. 1.2 µg/kg BW/day was calculated as 600 µg/kg of MRL multipliedby 90th percentile food consumption infant of 0.012 kg divided by the average weight of infant at 6kg. It is equivalent to children from one to three years of age. In general, infants had consumed
more streptomycin residues than children (1.1811 µg/kg BW/day) followed by adolescents (1.1786µg/kg BW/day) and adults (1.1780µg/kg BW/day). Moreover, EMDI for males was significantly
higher than that for females (p<0.05).

Ⓒ ISERD65

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1Fig. 1 Estimated maximum daily intake of streptomycin residue for females and males
from different age and weight groups in the Philippines
DISCUSSION
Prediction of EMDI of streptomycin residues from dietary intake of pork using a stepwise approachis a step forward to provide an estimate potential exposure of the population. Hence, analysis ofEMDI found that infants from birth to less than 12 months of age had the highest intake ofstreptomycin residue in the Philippines, followed by children, adolescents and adults.
A similar study on the exposure assessment of chemical from packaging materials in food byPocas and Hogg (2007) mentioned that food consumption by infants and small children is muchhigher, based on the body weight, than by conventional adult model of 1 kgfood/60 kg BW. In
addition, infants and children, because of their higher food consumption rates per kg BW, weregenerally expected to have a higher dietary daily intake of substances (Kroes et al., 2002). However,
the assessment on dietary Melamine exposure, Xu et al. (2009) reported that infants of threemonths old had the highest intake estimate of melamine and with the increase in age, the intake
decreased. Another example was conducted on dietary exposure to copper in the European Union.
Steve (2008) reported that in most studies in EU member states, age and sex differences were more
apparent than regional differences. Young and middle-aged adults have higher mean intake thanelderly or very elderly.
CONCLUSION
Based on findings of the present study, streptomycin residue have been detected in pork whichinfants from birth to less than 12 months are more exposed to and more at risk, because of theirhigher food consumption rates per kg of body weight, and they are generally expected to have ahigher exposure level due to physical activity.

Ⓒ ISERD

66

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSFirst, my thanks go to Veterinary Drug Residue Section of NMIS, Quezon City Philippines forallow using the new report of veterinary drug residue monitoring program and laboratory
technicians of this study. I am thankful to Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program Team ofRITM and National Epidemiology Centre, Muntinlupa City, Philippines. I also wish to thank Foodof Nutrition Research Institute Team, who has given the 2003 food consumption survey andpercentile data released of fresh pork in the Philippines and RENI-FNRI-DOST, Metro Manila,Philippines.
REFERENCES
Boden, E. 2005. Black’s  Veterinary  Dictionary,  21st edition.
Botsoglou, N., and Fletouris, D. 2001. Drug residues in foods. Pharmacology, Food Safety, and Analysis,
Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
CAC. 1999. Procedural manual, tenth edition, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Food andAgriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1997. Definitions for "risk management" and "riskcommunication" were adopted as revised texts at the twenty-third session of the Codex Alimentarius
Commission.
Doyle, E. 2006. Veterinary drug residues in processed meats-potential health risk. A review of the scientific
literature. Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
EFSA. 2007. Annual EU pesticide residues monitoring report. The European Food Safety Authority.
FSIS. 2000. Blue Book. 2000. FSIS National Residue Program. Food Safety and Institution Service, USDA.
Huss, H., Ababouch, L., and Gram, L. 2004. Assurance of seafood quality. Danish Institute for Fisheries.
Research Department of Seafood Research. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States,Rome, Italy.
Kroes, R., Muller, D., Lambe, J., Lowik, M., van Klaveren, J., Kleiner, J., Massey, R., Mayer, S., Urieta, I.,
Verger, P. and Visconti, A. 2002. Assessment of intake from the diet. Food and Chemical Toxicology.
40, 327-85.
Kelly, L. 2005. Risk analysis framework. Risk analysis, application to chemicals. Food Standards Australiaand New Zealand.
FNRI. 2003. Food consumption survey. Food and Nutrition Research Institute. Philippines.
Health Canada. 2003. Setting standards for maximum residue limits (MRLs) of veterinary drugs used infood-producing animals. Ontario, Canada.
NMIS. 2009. Veterinary Drug Residue Monitoring Program. Veterinary Drug Residue Section, Laboratory
Services Division, National Meat Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture, Philippines.
Pocas, M. and Hogg, T. 2007. Exposure assessment of chemicals from packaging materials.
RITM. 2009. The report on antimicrobial resistant surveillance program. Research Institute for TropicalMedicine. Philippines.
Steve, J.C. 2008. Background paper on dietary exposure assessment. Prepared for the WHO Expert Meetingon Toxicological and Health Aspects of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid. Geneva.
Sumner, J., Ross, T., and Ababouch, L. 2004. Application of risk assessment in the fish industry. Fisheries
technical paper, 442. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome, Italy.
Titus, S. 2007. A NOEL model developed for quantitative microbial risk assessment in the pork food chain.
A dissertation of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Venn, V., Loinda, R.B., Billy P.D., and RioJohn T.D. 2010. Dietary exposure assessment of antibiotic
residues in pork consumed in the Philippines. MVM thesis. 199.
WHO. 1999. Joint FAO/NACA/WHO study group on food safety issues associated with products fromaquaculture. WHO Technical Report Series No. 883. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Dong, Z., Li N., Wang Z.T., Zho Y.F., Wu Y.N., and Yan W.X. 2009. Assessment on dietary melanine
exposure from tainted infant formula. 100-103.

Ⓒ ISERD67