Antibiotic residues in milk, poultry and beef from informal traders and implications on food security: A case of Mutare and Mutasa Districts of Manicaland Zimbabwe

Abstract

Food security has been compromised due to the presence of antibiotic residues in food of animal origin. Antibiotic residues are directly harmful to those that consume antibiotic contaminated food, and cause antibiotic resistance in both people and animals. The problem of antibiotic residues in food is very serious but yet is poorly studied and its magnitude is not objectively outlined in Zimbabwe. A cross-sectional study was done in Manicaland Province of Zimbabwe in 2024 on beef, milk and poultry meat sold informally, to determine prevalence of antibiotic residues and antibiotic residues were found to contaminate 62% (104, n=168) of the samples tested. Tetracyclines were the most common antibiotic residues affecting 79/168 samples, followed by penicillins at 53/168 samples and then other antibiotics at 30/168 samples. The most common antibiotic in beef and poultry was tetracycline (49% and 53% respectively). For milk penicillins were the most common antibiotic residues (45%). Antibiotic access system was found to be compromised at the level of antibiotic retail outlets, antibiotic regulation and poor farmer antibiotic use practises and attitudes. Drug retail outlets are operated mostly by unqualified persons and the acquisition of prescription items is almost free, whilst the veterinarians are not well capacitated to provide the best antibiotic stewardship and management practises to farmers. Farmer antibiotic practises were found to be unguided, antibiotic misuse, overuse or irrational use was common. More education is required to promote practices that promote biosecurity practises on farms which should lead to reduced need to use antibiotics and therefore reduction of antibiotic residues. The findings in this study form one of the earliest pieces of knowledge to better understand the impact of antibiotic residues on food security and the link for animal production to One health family in tackling animal health and public health challenges involving zoonotic pathogens in Zimbabwe.

Keywords: (antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistance, prevalence of antibiotic residues, most common antibiotic residue, food security, Mutasa, Mutare