Risk assessmentindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-DRY-126 standard review
Old pesticides found in raw milk in an Egyptian city
Estimation and Human Health Risk Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Raw Milk Marketed in Zagazig City, Egypt.
Overview
Raslan AA et al.. J Toxicol 2018 · PMID 30158973 · DOI 10.1155/2018/3821797
50-75% of samples contaminated, mostly within limits; 10% of goat milk exceeded limits.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Measure pesticide residues in raw milk.
- How was the study done?
Survey and risk estimate.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Raw milk from Zagazig.
- What was actually found?
Residues common; few above limits.
- How large was the observed effect?
10% of goat milk above limit.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Food control matters; residues concern all dairy fat.
- What are the study's limitations?
Local, abstract only.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Partly supports the residue concern.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Egypt.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cannot show actual disease.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Raslan AA et al.
- Journal
- J Toxicol
- Year
- 2018
- Identifier
- PMID 30158973 DOI 10.1155/2018/3821797
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
What are organochlorine pesticide levels in raw cattle, buffalo and goat milk in Zagazig and what is the estimated risk?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Risk assessment – Residue survey with dietary intake and risk estimation
- Population
Raw milk marketed in Zagazig (Sharkia, Egypt)
- Country
Egypt
- Period
not stated in abstract
- Sample size
not stated in abstract
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Market raw milk
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
OCPs (DDT and metabolites, HCHs, heptachlor, aldrin, endrin, chlordane etc.)
- Comparator
WHO maximum permissible limits
- Endpoints
Concentrations; estimated daily intake; non-cancer and cancer risk
- Statistical methods
Descriptive; risk indices
5. Actual results
- Results
Contamination incidence: goat and buffalo milk 75% each, cow milk 50%. Mean sum of OCPs 317.83 (cattle), 605 (buffalo), 1210.57 (goat) ppb wet weight. All OCPs within WHO limits except 10% of goat milk samples. Estimated intake and risk assessment indicated potential cancer risk, especially for children consuming goat milk.
- Absolute risks
Cancer risk estimates not given numerically in abstract
- Authors' conclusion
OCP residues in raw milk are of public-health importance, particularly for children consuming goat milk.
6. Strengths
- Egyptian data
- Risk assessment
7. Weaknesses
- Single city; sample size not in abstract
- Reported means appear high relative to 'within limits' (units/lipid basis unclear)
- Abstract only
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Local convenience sampling; unit questions.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Risk-assessment outputs depend on assumptions not reported in abstract.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Supports a real concern about persistent pesticide residues in some Egyptian raw milk (especially goat milk), while most cow and buffalo samples were within limits; organochlorines are fat-soluble, so the same concern applies to butter, ghee, cream and cheese.
11. Independent contrary findings
I-DRY-118 found pesticide residues in raw milk below MRLs.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Egypt-specific.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Weak local evidence of residue risk; argues for food control and safe sourcing across dairy, not for a fresh-milk-only ban.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | low |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | low |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | unknown |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | mixed |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
National monitoring.