Broiler chickens are safe, researchers warn

lthough broiler chicken is a 'readily available and affordable' source of protein for a large portion of the country's population, there have been long-standing concerns about the presence of harmful antibiotics and heavy metals in it. However, a recent government study says that broiler chicken is safe as food and poses no risk to public health. The study by the government's Ministry of Agriculture said that although 10 types of antibiotics and three heavy metals were found in broiler chicken, the levels are far below the risk level for humans. bdnews24.com reports.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak and Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim presented the research report at the conference room of the Secretariat's Information Department on Thursday. The Agriculture Minister said, "We have witnessed that due to the publicity about the presence of harmful substances in poultry, the consumption of nutritious broiler meat decreased significantly in the early stages of the Covid-19 outbreak that began in 2020. In this situation, the Ministry of Agriculture took the initiative to conduct research on chicken meat."

The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council of the Ministry of Agriculture conducted this research to determine the amount of antibiotics and heavy metals in broiler chicken meat, bones, liver, kidneys, gizzards (gizzards) and chicken feed. For this, 1,200 chickens and 315 samples from 30 feeds were taken from farms and markets in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Barisal districts from January to June last year.

The Agriculture Minister said that the samples of chicken meat were sent to the SGS Laboratory in Chennai, India for testing the antibiotics enrofloxacin, ciproflancin, neomycin, tylosin, colistin, amoxicillin and sulfadiazine. Three more antibiotics chloramphenicol, angiotetracycline and doxycycline and three heavy metals arsenic, chromium and lead were tested at the Quality Control Laboratory of the Department of Livestock in Savar.

The press briefing, highlighting the results of the study, said that the presence of tetracycline in broiler chicken meat was found to be 8 ppb (parts per billion), where the maximum tolerated level for humans is 100 ppb. Similarly, the presence of arsenic was 6.2 ppb, where the maximum tolerated level is 40 ppb; the presence of chromium was 190.7 ppb, where the tolerated level is 1000 ppb. The presence of harmful lead was 259.1 ppb, where the maximum tolerated level is 6000 ppb.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak said, "Most people in the country have low incomes, which means they cannot afford to buy the necessary nutritious food, especially meat-rich food. Broiler chicken meat contains much lower amounts of antibiotics and heavy metals than the maximum tolerable levels, making broiler meat a safe food. There is no risk to public health either."

The results of research on antibiotics and heavy metals harmful to human health in broiler chicken meat were presented at the secretariat. In response to journalists' questions, retired Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) official Dr. Monirul Islam said, Chromium-6 or Heng chromium creates big problems for the human body. This element is not present in our poultry sector.

He said that chickens that used to be marketable in 35 days are now being sold in 28 days through the use of additional feed and antibiotics. If farmers can be made more aware of this, contamination in chicken meat at various stages will be reduced by 90 percent.

Regarding the old allegations of tannery waste being mixed in poultry feed, the Agriculture Minister said, "There was some earlier. Now it doesn't happen anymore. And the tannery has also moved from Hazaribagh to Savar." Describing poultry as a potential industry in the country, the Minister also said that incentives will be given to this sector. 20 percent incentives are available for the export of agricultural products. But livestock and fish are not on that list. I am trying to see if that incentive can be given to the export of chicken meat.

The briefing, citing statistics from the Bangladesh Poultry Industry Central Council (BPICC), an organization of poultry traders, said that 38.44 million tons of poultry meat were produced in the country in the fiscal year 2021-22. While the market demand is 9.5 million tons. 100 tons of poultry meat were exported from Bangladesh in the last fiscal year. The total meat production in the country was 92.65 million tons in the last fiscal year, of which 54.21 million tons were from cattle.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Rezaul Karim said in a briefing that poultry was once raised in village households. Now it has become an industry. Sometimes some unwanted information is being presented about it. This research will play a role in presenting accurate information. When asked what the ministry's action will be if the price of chicken meat increases, the Agriculture Minister said that the government will take positive steps to keep it within purchasing power.

Regarding the price increase, Mashiur Rahman, a representative of the Bangladesh Poultry Industry Central Council, said that the government can set a price for the entire year by analyzing production costs and profit rates.