Food safety status of poultry meat and egg in Iran

Abstract

Food borne illness is one of the most widespread health problems in the world and an important cause of reduced economic productivity especially in developing and under developed countries. In addition, food safety of poultry products remains a serious problem in many countries in the world. Similar to many other countries, the development of food safety standards in Iran is handled by the government. The poultry industry in Iran has been and is under dynamic and progressive development. In spite of the advances in the poultry industry in Iran, the issues of food borne pathogens, and drug and chemical residues remain. Meat inspection at poultry processing plants has been successful, but obviously has certain limitations. More importantly, drug, pesticide, mycotoxin and other chemical residues must be monitored in poultry meat and eggs. This work has to be carried out in close collaboration with human and environmental health professionals, analysts, epidemiologists, food producers, processors and traders. Poultry veterinarians and the Iran Veterinary Organization (IVO) should play a decision-making role in the development of the poultry industry. Poultry veterinarians and IVO have a dual responsibility; epidemiological surveillance of poultry diseases and ensuring the safety of meat and eggs. Via their presence on farms and appropriate collaboration with farmers, poultry veterinarians play a key role in ensuring that birds are kept under hygienic conditions, especially conditions which have public health significance. Slaughterhouse inspection of live birds (ante-mortem) and the carcass (post-mortem) plays a key role in both the surveillance network for poultry diseases and zoonoses and ensuring the safety of poultry meat.