EFSA´s risk assessment of undesirable substances in animal feed and its implication for animal and human health: Cross-contamination by coccidiostats for non-target animal species and human health

L3-1

In the European Union, eleven coccidiostat active ingredients are authorised as feed additives for one or several target species such as chicken, turkey, rabbits. Such coccidiostats may be sub-classified according to their pharmacological properties namely as ionophoric compounds (lasalocid, monensin, maduramicin, narasin, salinomycin, semduramicin) or non-ionophoric compounds (decoquinate, diclazuril, halofuginone, nicarbazin, robenidine).

The cross-contamination of feed by coccidiostats during the production process can result in exposure of non-target animal species and consequently consumers through animal-based products. The Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) of the European Food Safety Authority has performed risk assessments for non-target animals and humans regarding the cross-contamination of feed at 2%, 5% and 10% of the maximum level authorised for target species. Overall, it was concluded that such a risk for non-target species after consumption of cross-contaminated feed was negligible in most cases. Exceptions were salinomycin and monensin in horses for which potential adverse effects may occur after consumption of cross-contamination feed at 2% and 5% of the maximum levels for target species respectively.

The concentrations of residues in animal products and human exposure for high consumers were estimated using occurrence and kinetic data and the standard food basket consumption figures for eggs, meat, and edible offal respectively. The human dietary exposure, was then compared to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each coccidiostat.

Human exposure to residues of 9 coccidiostats were estimated to be well below the respective ADIs assuming 10% of cross-contamination whereas for lasalocid and halofuginone the estimates of exposures were be slightly greater than the ADIs. However, regular exposure to residues of lasalocid and halofuginone from edible tissues and eggs at the conservatively estimatedconcentrations are unlikely to occur. Thus, the CONTAM panel concluded consumers' health would not be affected.

J.L.C.M. Dorne ¹
U. Bertelsen ¹
C. Heppner ¹
M.L. Fernández-Cruz ²
D. Renshaw ³
K. Peltonen ⁴
A. Anadon ⁵
A.A. Feil ⁶
P. Sanders ⁷
P. Wester ⁸
J. Fink-Gremmels ⁹