Very few of the foods that Rwandans commonly eat have been subject to any toxicological testing and yet they are generally accepted as being safe to eat. However, all chemicals, including those naturally found in foods, are toxic at some dose
Processors dealing in animal foodstuff products have been told to test for antibiotic residues in their products before they are put to the market for human consumption.
Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, director general at Rwandan standards board (RSB) says that food stuffs of animal origin may contain antibiotic residues from their direct application to these animals during their medication.
He says that during medication of these animals using antibiotics, some residues maybe transferred to the products such as milk, meat, eggs as well as honey which poses a bigger health threat to consumers of these products.
“These residues when consumed by humans may cause of numerous health hazards,” he told this website on Thursday.
He adds, “This testing is for comparing their results with recommended maximum residue limits established by World Health Organization-WHO or CODEX standards.”
Currently, Antimicrobial drugs which also includes antibiotics are widely used by farmers in controlling, preventing as well as treating infections and enhance animal growth and feed efficiency, showing the need to encourage testing for the byproducts.
Health experts say that taking in foodstuffs from animal that may contain toxic residues like antibiotics may result into transfer of antibiotic resistant bacteria to humans, immune-pathological effects and also carcinogenicity.
The government set up veterinary experts to inspect meat from abattoirs and other slaughter houses to ensure that diseases from animals may not be transferred to humans, yet another measure to curb such incidences.
According to Rwanda standards board, Antibiotics are substances that are either produced naturally by living organisms or produced synthetically in the laboratory, and they are able to kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
