Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan
Beta-agonists (β-agonists) in meat products in one’s diet raise concerns about the possibility of foodborne illness. It may also lead to discomfort, such as headaches and occasional irregular heartbeats, which might be linked to a heightened concern for cardiovascular issues. Taiwan’s high demand fo...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Foods |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4052 |
| _version_ | 1827639823140126720 |
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| author | Shu-Han You Chieh-Ning Lee |
| author_facet | Shu-Han You Chieh-Ning Lee |
| author_sort | Shu-Han You |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Beta-agonists (β-agonists) in meat products in one’s diet raise concerns about the possibility of foodborne illness. It may also lead to discomfort, such as headaches and occasional irregular heartbeats, which might be linked to a heightened concern for cardiovascular issues. Taiwan’s high demand for meat and reliance on imported meat products from certain countries where β-agonists are permitted has raised concerns. Recent import border checks and monitoring of meat products in the market have revealed the concentration of non-compliance with β-agonist residue regulations, which is ten ppb. This study aims to analyze the concentration of β-agonist residues in meat products sold in Taiwan and assess the current levels of exposure and dietary risk for consumers. The study analyzed 1415 samples of domestically produced and imported livestock products from supermarkets, traditional markets, and bulk stores in New Taipei City between 2019 and 2023. The samples were analyzed using the method for detecting 21 β-agonists based on the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration’s specifications. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of β-agonists for different age groups and the target hazard quotient (THQ) were used to assess dietary exposure and risk. The results showed that all 1415 samples were compliant with regulations. Among them, 43 beef samples showed residues of ractopamine originating from the United States, with residue concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 μg/kg and an average residue concentration of 3.3 ± 1.9 μg/kg. Under average consumption, the highest EDI for the exposed population was observed in the 6–12 age group, with values of 0.1469 μg/kg/day, 0.0734 μg/kg/day, and 0.0242 μg/kg/day for the three residue concentrations (maximum detected residue, maximum allowable residue, and average detected residue, respectively). The THQs for ractopamine in imported beef samples were all less than 1, indicating no health hazards at the current intake levels of each age group and the residue concentrations in commercially available beef. Despite the findings, traders need to acknowledge regulatory variations between Taiwan and exporting countries when importing meat products. Traders should provide inspection reports to monitor β-agonist residue levels in imports or explore sourcing beef from countries with β-agonist bans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:49:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07cadd96d82a420db26478f9b85732f8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:49:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-07cadd96d82a420db26478f9b85732f82023-11-24T14:41:51ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582023-11-011222405210.3390/foods12224052Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in TaiwanShu-Han You0Chieh-Ning Lee1Institute of Food Safety and Risk Management, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung City 20224, TaiwanMaster Program of Food Safety Management, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung City 20224, TaiwanBeta-agonists (β-agonists) in meat products in one’s diet raise concerns about the possibility of foodborne illness. It may also lead to discomfort, such as headaches and occasional irregular heartbeats, which might be linked to a heightened concern for cardiovascular issues. Taiwan’s high demand for meat and reliance on imported meat products from certain countries where β-agonists are permitted has raised concerns. Recent import border checks and monitoring of meat products in the market have revealed the concentration of non-compliance with β-agonist residue regulations, which is ten ppb. This study aims to analyze the concentration of β-agonist residues in meat products sold in Taiwan and assess the current levels of exposure and dietary risk for consumers. The study analyzed 1415 samples of domestically produced and imported livestock products from supermarkets, traditional markets, and bulk stores in New Taipei City between 2019 and 2023. The samples were analyzed using the method for detecting 21 β-agonists based on the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration’s specifications. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of β-agonists for different age groups and the target hazard quotient (THQ) were used to assess dietary exposure and risk. The results showed that all 1415 samples were compliant with regulations. Among them, 43 beef samples showed residues of ractopamine originating from the United States, with residue concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 μg/kg and an average residue concentration of 3.3 ± 1.9 μg/kg. Under average consumption, the highest EDI for the exposed population was observed in the 6–12 age group, with values of 0.1469 μg/kg/day, 0.0734 μg/kg/day, and 0.0242 μg/kg/day for the three residue concentrations (maximum detected residue, maximum allowable residue, and average detected residue, respectively). The THQs for ractopamine in imported beef samples were all less than 1, indicating no health hazards at the current intake levels of each age group and the residue concentrations in commercially available beef. Despite the findings, traders need to acknowledge regulatory variations between Taiwan and exporting countries when importing meat products. Traders should provide inspection reports to monitor β-agonist residue levels in imports or explore sourcing beef from countries with β-agonist bans.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4052beefporkbeta-agonistsdietary exposurerisk assessment |
| spellingShingle | Shu-Han You Chieh-Ning Lee Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan Foods beef pork beta-agonists dietary exposure risk assessment |
| title | Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan |
| title_full | Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan |
| title_short | Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Beta-Agonist Residues in Commercial Beef and Pork in Taiwan |
| title_sort | dietary exposure and risk assessment of beta agonist residues in commercial beef and pork in taiwan |
| topic | beef pork beta-agonists dietary exposure risk assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4052 |
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