Philippine E-Journals

Occurrence of Antibiotic Residue in Edible Tissues of Broiler Chicken Sold in Tuguegarao City, Philippines

Roel T. Calagui

 

Abstract:

The study investigated the presence of antibiotic residue in tissues of broiler chicken sold in Tuguegarao  City, Philippines and determine the frequency of occurrence concerning meat source. A total of 105 different tissues of broiler chicken encompassing a raw skeletal muscle, liver, intestine, and gizzard obtained from market stalls and groceries were sampled. Disc Assay Test was the method employed utilizing pure culture of bacteria, namely: Escherichia coli BIOTECH 1634, Staphylococcus aureus BIOTECH 1582, and Bacillus subtilis BIOTECH 1679. Results revealed that all four tissue samples tested had demonstrable antibiotic residues beyond the Maximum Residue Unit (MRL) as substantiated by zones of inhibition greater than 2mm which was remarked as positive having registered the highest frequency in models taken from grocery stores. The findings infer that the cultivators of poultry meat sampled in this study are not observing the proper protocol of antibiotic usage in food animals; that is, prior slaughtering the residue of any drug should not be detectable at the level of tissues considering the health risks it may pose to consumers.