Prevention of Antibiotics in Milk—Present Status

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Abstract
Results of 3 market surveys of milk for antibiotic content made by the Food and Drug Administration are reviewed. Antibiotics other than penicillin when present in milk at the rate and in the amounts found during these surveys do not pose, at this time, a public health problem. Penicillin, because it is a highly antigenic substance, may cause reactions in a highly sensitive individual, even in the very small concentrations found in milk. A program is under way to try to eliminate penicillin from getting into milk. The program consists of education of the dairy farmer in the proper use of antibiotic mastitis preparations, a conspicuous statement on the label of such preparations warning the farmer to discard milk for 72 hours after the last treatment, and limiting the amount of penicillin per dose to 100,000 units.

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