Hormones and Hormonal Anabolics: Residues in Animal Source Food, Potential Public Health Impacts, and Methods of Analysis

Table 2

Maximum residue limit (MRL) and ADI of different sequentially selected hormones.

Pharmacologically active substance	Marker residue	Animal species	Target tissue	Maximum residue (MRL, µg/kg = PPb)			Remarks or notes
				EU	Codex#	USA^
17β-Estradiol	Not applicable	All mammalian food-producing species	Muscle	No MRL required	#Unnecessary	0.12	#Residues resulting from use of the substance as a growth promoter with GAHP, unlikely to pose hazard to human health, ADI = unnecessary [32], 0–0.05 µg/kg BW [33]. ^Tolerance limit [18].
			Liver			0.24
			Kidney			0.36
			Fat			0.48
			Milk (µg/L)			—
Clenbuterol hydrochloride	Clenbuterol	Bovine and equine	Muscle	0.1	0.2	Prohibited use in food animals	Agents acting on the nervous system. #Due to potential abuse MRLs recommended only associated with nationally approved therapeutic use ^ in horses, in the case of COPD [24]
			Liver	0.5	0.6
			Kidney	0.5	0.6
			Fat	—	0.2
			Milk (µg/L)	0.05	0.05
Progesterone	Not applicable	Bovine	Muscle	No MRL required	#Unnecessary 21^st	5^	No entry (only for zoo technical use). [25]. #Residues resulting from use of the substance as a growth promoter with GAHP, unlikely to pose hazard to human health. ^Not in excess of natural concentration in the body of untreated animals
		Ovine	Liver			15^
		Caprinae	Kidney			30^
		Equidae (Female)	Fat			30^
			Milk			-
Testosterone	Testosterone	Bovine	Muscle	No MRL	#Unnecessary	0.64	#Residues resulting from use of the substance as a growth promoter in accord. GAHP practice is unlikely to pose a hazard to human health ADI = 0–2 µg/kg BW [33]. ^Not for use in dairy or beef replacement heifers.
			Liver			1.30
			Kidney			1.90
			Fat			2.60
Trenbolone acetate	Trenbolone	Bovine	Muscle	No MRL	2	^Not needed	#ADI: 0–0.02 µg/kg BW [33]. ^ADI: 0.4 µg/kg BW per day [23].
			Liver		10
Zeranol	Zeranol	Bovine	Muscle	No MRL required (completely banned)	2	^Not needed	No entry [25]; #only for: bovine, ADI = 0–0.5 µg/kg body weight [32]. ^ADI = 0.00125 [19].
			Liver		10
		Ovine	Muscle		—	20
			Liver		—	—
			Milk		—	—

ADI = acceptable daily intake, BW = body weight, CAC = Codex Alimentarius Commission, CFR = Code Federal Regulations, COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, GAHP = good animal husbandry practice, and MRL = maximum residue limit.