Day 091 - 17 Feb 95 - Page 39


     
     1   Q.   When you say "many years", what are you talking about, 10
     2        years or something like that?
     3        A.  I should think for Japan they have probably had a
     4        requirement for 10 years, yes.
     5
     6   Q.   Would you say there was a large growth of awareness around
     7        this time three years ago or so, like it became more of an
     8        issue and more of a concern?
     9        A.  I think food safety issues generally have become of a
    10        greater concern and probably, yes, over the last three to
    11        five years many of these kinds of issues have been
    12        highlighted.
    13
    14   Q.   As part of that, has there been some kind of clamping down
    15        on the way that antibiotics are used?
    16        A.  There has been very increased requirements for
    17        antibiotics to be submitted to all types of legislation.
    18        Some antibiotics have been removed from the availability
    19        list, other antibiotics have had extra testing requirements
    20        put on them.  In general, there are far fewer compounds
    21        available now for animal treatment than there used to be.
    22
    23   Q.   The ones that are available, the withdrawal periods, have
    24        they been increased or were some of them introduced or?
    25        A.  Some have been increased but, by and large, they have
    26        not, they have just been more clearly specified.
    27
    28   Q.   What do you mean by that?  Do you mean that people may not
    29        have been aware of?
    30        A.  Well, for example, the withdrawal times have actually
    31        been reduced because there used to be five days and residue
    32        tests that have been asked of companies have shown that, in
    33        fact, a 24-hour withdrawal was quite sufficient.  So, a
    34        drug, for example, like amoxicillin now has a 24-hour
    35        withdrawal period.
    36
    37   Q.   Have any of them been increased?
    38        A.  I am not sure that any have been increased.  I think
    39        maybe the maximum time is seven days.  You have to remember
    40        that although, quite rightly, it would not be right for
    41        meat to contain antibiotic residues, the risk to human
    42        health is very, very minimal.
    43
    44   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can you just explain that?  Does the risk to
    45        human health go beyond the fact that bacteria may build up
    46        a resistance to that particular antibiotic?
    47        A.  This is the principal concern, that is absolutely
    48        right.
    49
    50   Q.   But are there other concerns? 
    51        A.  The only ----- 
    52 
    53   Q.   I do not want you to go in any depth.  It can be pursued,
    54        if necessary, but what are areas of other concern?
    55        A.  The only other concern could be that if an individual
    56        was allergic to an antibiotic and they became exposed to it
    57        by this route, then that could be a possible danger.
    58
    59   MS. STEEL:   And there is also the concern with Furazolodone
    60        that it is carcinogenic?

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