Evaluation of cyromazine transferred from feed to chicken products and subsequent assessment of dietary risks to Chinese consumers.

Abstract

In this work, levels of cyromazine and its metabolite melamine in chicken products and its transfer factors (TFs) and dietary risks assessment for Chinese consumers are presented. Cyromazine was added to chicken feed at doses of 5, 25, and 50mg/kg for 42 days. Cyromazine residues were found in frequently consumed chicken products (meat, heart, liver, gizzard, and eggs), with liver and eggs displaying the highest concentrations (0.935 and 1.281mg/kg, respectively). Low levels of melamine residues (<0.029mg/kg) were detected in chicken products from chickens treated with 25 and 50mg/kg cyromazine, but not in eggs from chickens treated with 5mg/kg cyromazine. The TFs for the investigated chicken products varied from 0.0074 to 0.0229 across the dosage levels. The chronic exposure assessment showed that 0.001 to 0.190% of the acceptable daily intake (0.06mg/kg body weight [b.w.]/day) of cyromazine was consumed through chicken products among the various age and gender groups of Chinese consumers. The acute exposure assessments of different age and gender groups were 0.0004% to 0.178% of the acute reference dose (0.1mg/kg b.w.). Although the results suggest that the risk associated with cyromazine residues in chicken products was low in China, the possible risk associated with cyromazine residues in chicken products should not be ignored while cyromazine remains a legal feed additive. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The present analytical method could be used for cyromazine and melamine detection in different chicken products, and dietary risk assessments of cyromazine provided a support for the work of regulatory bodies to conduct surveillance programs regarding food safety evaluation of cyromazine.