ARS | Publication request: Tissue Distribution, Elimination, and Metabolism of Dietary Sodium [36cl]chlorate in Beef Cattle

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: February 22, 2004
Publication Date: August 11, 2004
Citation: International Association For Food Protection 91st Annual Meeting, August 8-11, 2004, Phoenix, Az. Abstract #t35.

Technical Abstract: Treatment of livestock species with dietary sodium chlorate during the period immediately prior to slaughter selectively reduces the prevalence of E. Coli 0157:H7, Salmonella and Clostridial species. Pre-slaughter reduction of such pathogens decreases the risk of carcass contamination during animal slaughter and subsequently reduces risks to consumers of animal products. Safe use of sodium chlorate in food animals requires that its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) be described in target species. The objectives of this preliminary study were to describe the ADME of sodium [36Cl]chlorate after dietary administration to cattle. Two Loala cattle (200 kg) were each orally dosed with 63 or 126 mg Na[36Cl]O3 (114 dpm/ug; 94.4% Na[36Cl]O3, 5.6% Na[36Cl]) per kg bw per day for three consecutive days. All feces and urine were collected during the dosing periods. Approximately 8 hours after the last dose, animals were slaughtered by captive bolt and exsanguination, tissues removed, and tissues analyzed for total radiochlorine content. Approximately 33 to 47% of each dose was excreted in the urine, while only 0.4 to 1.7% was recovered in excreted feces. The low dose carcass contained 30% of the total dose. Total residues were 70-81, 226-236, 53-47, and 38-29, ppm in liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue, of the low and high dosed animals, respectively. Sodium chlorate may be a viable tool for pre-harvest pathogen elimination provided that the chloride ion is the major chlorate metabolite present in edible tissues. Studies are in progress to investigate the metabolic fate of chlorate in ruminants.