Antibiotic Residue Profiles in Marketed Poultry Products and Consumer Risk Assessment in Rivers State

Antibiotic residues in poultry products consumed without adequate withdrawal period observance pose risks including allergic reactions, disruption of gut microbiota, and antimicrobial resistance selection in consumers. This study determined antibiotic residue profiles in marketed poultry products and conducted a dietary exposure risk assessment for consumers in Rivers State, South South Nigeria. One hundred and twenty samples of chicken thigh and breast meat and 60 egg samples were purchased from retail markets in Port Harcourt and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, and chloramphenicol. Residue concentrations were compared against the Codex Alimentarius maximum residue limits. Dietary risk was estimated using a deterministic approach based on consumption survey data. Tetracycline residues above maximum residue limits were detected in 28.3% of meat samples. Chloramphenicol, a banned substance in food-producing animals, was detected in 6.7% of samples. Fluoroquinolone residues were found in 18.3% of samples. Risk assessment estimated that daily exposure through poultry products exceeded the acceptable daily intake for tetracyclines in 22% of simulated consumer profiles. The study concludes that antibiotic residues in marketed poultry products in Rivers State present a measurable consumer risk and that current monitoring by regulatory agencies is insufficient. Urgent strengthening of residue monitoring programs and strict enforcement of withdrawal periods are recommended. Keywords: antibiotic residues, poultry products, consumer risk, Rivers State, maximum residue limits