The Study of Antibiotic Residues in Raw and Pasteurized Milk in Gilan Province

Antibiotics are known as the most useful and effective drugs in the treatment of infectious diseases in humans and animals. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics directly or indirectly, for instance through raw animal products such as milk, can cause health problems in human societies. The specific aim of this study was to determine the level of antibiotic residue in raw and pasteurized milk in Gilan province.
In this study 30 pasteurized milk samples of randomly selected brands and 570 raw cow milk samples from milk collection centers in 15 cities of Gilan province were collected. The samples were analyzed by coupon test.
Results and Antibiotic residue was observed in 179 (31.4%) and 18 (60%) samples out of the 570 raw and pasteurized cow milk samples, respectively.. According to dairy per capita consumption in Gilan province, this rate of contamination affects a considerable part of the population. It can therefore be concluded that the contamination of dairy products to residual antibiotic can be considered an important factor threatening human health and should be considered in the quality control of milk and dairy products.