Residues and dietary exposure risk assessment of four anticoccidial drugs in eggs in China in 2022

ObjectiveTo provide a preliminary understanding of the residues of anticoccidial drugs in eggs in China and to assess the associated dietary exposure risks.MethodsA statistical analysis was performed on the residue data of four anticoccidial drugs found in 1 968 egg samples collected from 31 provinces （autonomous regions and municipalities） across China in 2022. The point assessment method was used to assess the dietary exposure risks of anticoccidial drug residues for children and adults consuming these eggs.ResultsFour anticoccidial drugs were detected to different degrees with an overall detection rate of 3.40%. The detection rates were highest in samples from farmers’ markets， followed by online stores and the lowest in retail stores. The detection rate was higher in bulk foods compared to packaged foods. The six provinces with the highest detection rates were Hainan， Inner Mongolia， Jiangxi， Hubei， Yunnan and Sichuan. The dietary exposure levels for different age groups， based on the average residues of the four veterinary drugs， ranged from 1.97×10-4 to 3.92×10-3 μg/（kg·BW/d）. Toltrazuril sulfone was the anticoccidial drug with the highest contribution to dietary exposure across all age groups. The hazard quotients for all dietary exposures were well below 1.ConclusionIn 2022， the overall detection rate of anticoccidial drug residues in eggs from 30 provinces （autonomous regions and municipalities） in China was low， but some regions exhibited levels exceeding the standard， which warrants attention. The risk of dietary exposure to anticoccidial drugs through egg consumption is very low， but enhanced regulation and traceability are needed to further safeguard the health of children.