Incidence of ionophore and non-ionophore anticoccidials residues in poultry meat and eggs and their risk characterization

A multi-residue method was applied to investigate the incidence and the concentration of ionophores and non-ionophore antic-occidials residues in poultry meat and hen eggs for the three-year period 2017-2019 in Italy. The risk related to the ingestion of such molecules was also characterized for the entire population. The average inci-dences of positive samples ranged from 1.35 to 9.45% while the maximum average concentration was of 4.28 µg/kg for non-ionophore molecules. No uncompliant sam-ple was recorded. The overall risk characterization related to the intake of anticoc-cidials trought chicken meat and eggs reveal a minor concern for consumers of all age. However, the monitoring of coccid-iostates residues through official control activity in poultry meat and egg is crucial and it should be continuously conducted to ensure safety of such products and safe-guard consumers̛ health.