SURVEY OF RESIDUAL TETRACYCLINES IN TISSU ES COLLECTED FROM SLAUGHTERED ANIMALS IN AICHI PREFECTURE, JAPAN, 1985-1996

Tissues were collected to survey the incidence of tetracycline antibio tics (TCs) residues in slaughtered animals that did not pass inspectio n at slaughterhouses in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, April, 1985-March, 19 96, because of disease symptoms. Tissues were analyzed by liquid chrom atography. Among 218 animals (85 cattle and 133 hogs), 79 (30.9%) were positive for TCs, including 43 (19.7%) for oxytetracycline (OTC), 3 ( 1.4%) for tetracycline, 28 (12.8%) for chlortetracycline, and 1 (0.5%) for doxycycline (DC). One sample (cattle kidney) was positive for bot h OTC and DC. Cattle and hog samples collected in 1991 similar to 1995 showed significantly higher incidence of TC and CTC residues than tho se in 1985 similar to 1986 (chi(2)-test), respectively. Kidney samples showed higher incidence of TCs residues and 3 similar to 4 times high er residual concentrations than liver samples.