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Food Safety Study of Duck Eggs Produced Along Laguna Lake Areas, Philippines

Liezl Atienza M, Mary Grace Rodriguez DP, Delia Reyes Babilonia, Melody Guimary M and Carmelita Rebancos

This study aimed to determine the farm practices related to duck egg production as well as assess the safety of duck eggs for human consumption. Specifically, it aimed to 1) describe farm practices related to duck egg production in the Province of Laguna.; 2) determine the volume of egg production and its geographic flow; and 3) assess the safety of the duck eggs for human consumption in terms of its lead (Pb) content by comparing it with the maximum tolerable daily intake of Pb set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Results showed that the number of ducks raised ranged from 800 to 45,000 heads. Each farm had their own way of feeding ducks except for the use of snails as feeds that is common to all. In addition to snails, a mixture of commercial feeds, desiccated coconut (sapal) and fine rice particles (binlid) were given as feeds. A special “all natural diet” with probiotics was used as feeds in the sample farm in Victoria as feeds. The lead concentrations of raw duck eggs from the three farms were 0.20 mg/kg Fresh Weight (FW), 0.22 mg/kg FW and 0.20 mg/kg FW for samples A (Los Baños), B (Bay) and C (Victoria), respectively with a mean Pb content of 0.21 mg/kg FW. Also, the mean Pb content of duck eggs analyzed is far higher than the mean Pb content of eggs in developed countries (0.02 mg/kg) as well as with the Pb content of water spinach that were grown near the domestic areas alongside Laguna de Bay (0.02 mg/kg FW). Furthermore, it is found to be within the recommended maximum concentration of Pb in solid food, that is, 6 mg/kg. Using the maximum tolerable daily intake of Pb for adult set by the WHO (2001) which is 0.21 mg/kgBW as reference, developing Pb toxicity from the intake of duck eggs over a short period of time is therefore impossible. Nonetheless, heavy metals like Pb can accumulate in the body when consumed over a long period of time and pose health hazards. As a conclusion, the presence of Pb in duck egg may cause health hazards when taken in excess amounts over a long period of time. Further studies on safety of duck egg for human consumption as well as health risk assessment are recommended as basis for development of policies related to human health and environment.