Impacts on Human Health and Safety of Naturally Occurring and Supplemental Hormones in Food Animals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62300/7q86ma49Palabras clave:
hormones, food animals, human health, growth-enhancing technologies, food safetyResumen
This CAST Commentary (QA2020-4, July 2020) examines the human health and safety implications of both naturally occurring and supplemental hormones used in food-producing animals. The paper reviews four major hormone classes used in animal agriculture — steroids, peptides/proteins, prostaglandins, and amines — and their roles in growth, reproduction, and lactation management. It covers six FDA-approved growth-enhancing technologies (GETs) for beef cattle, including three naturally occurring hormones (testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone) and three synthetic compounds (melengestrol acetate, trenbolone acetate, and zeranol), as well as bovine somatotropin (bST) for dairy cows. The paper evaluates hormone residue levels in meat, milk, and eggs against established regulatory thresholds, finding that naturally occurring hormone residues in animal products are substantially below levels produced endogenously by humans. For synthetic compounds, the paper details the FDA and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) frameworks for establishing acceptable daily intakes (ADI), no observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL), and maximum residue limits (MRL). The FDA, WHO, and National Institutes of Health have independently concluded that dairy and meat products from hormone-treated animals are safe for human consumption. The paper concludes that correct label use of approved hormonal products in food animals poses no demonstrated adverse effects on human health, and that these technologies have contributed to a more affordable and environmentally efficient food supply.
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