engleski

Hormone use in food-animal production: dietary exposure of consumers and public health significance

Hormones are chemical substances naturally secreted in the body that regulate a wide range of physiological functions. However, during the last decades many cases of their illegal anabolic use in farm animals, ai-ming to obtain higher yields and profits in livestock production, have been documented. Given that these substances are carried over into body fluids and edible tissues, consumers may experience their impact through daily consumption of different products of animal origin, especially milk, meat and their products. Since many toxic effects of both natural and synthetic hormones have been evidenced, their use as an animal growth promoter is banned by the European Union. Insofar, a unique solution as to how to control the abuse of natural hormones in farm animals has not been found. Further research is needed to determine their natural levels in food in de-pendence on many factors of influence. Systematic monitoring of hormo-nal substances at all critical points of food production “from field to table” is necessary, together with continuous development of modern analytical methods in order to prevent hormone abuse and protect consumer health.

natural and synthetic hormones ; food of animal origin ; dietary exposure ; toxic effects ; consumers

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