Food and Food Animal Toxicology

Question 1

What is the general food law?

Answer 1

Farmers, food processors, wholesalers and retailers are required by the food safety act 1990 to act with due diligence

Question 2

What are the potential causes of food toxicology?

Answer 2

Agriculture products- pesticides

Veterinary products- antibiotics, hormones

Other environmental- industry, disasters

Biotoxins- mycotoxins, botulinum, plant toxins

Processing and packaging contaminants- acrylamide

Question 3

Who is responsible for responding to incidents involving contamination of food and feed?

Answer 3

FSA

Question 4

What is the source-pathway-receptor?

Answer 4

Risk assessment- vet perspective

Source- chemical of concern

Pathway- the way the chemical comes into contact with the animal population, air, land, water, food

Receptor- animal, person, popualtion

Question 5

What are the different levels of UK chemical surveillance?

Answer 5

Farm animals vets

FSA/OV- abbatoirs

Government vets- CVOs, Defra, APHA

Small animal vets- pet food

Question 6

What is the national surveillance scheme?

Answer 6

The Slaughter population randomly sampled for some contaminants

Vet med, lead, cadmium

Ruminant kidneys >0.5mg Pb/kg

Question 7

Where are there established MRL for alphatoxins?

Answer 7

Human food and animal feed

Milk and dairy products

Question 8

How can ‘normal feeds’ be involved with potential incidents?

Answer 8

Lead poisoning- shot from clay pigeon shoot