Levels of residues from veterinary drugs and other substances found in animals and animal-derived food “remain low” in the European Union (EU), according to the latest report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The report looks at variety of substance groups, including hormones, antibacterials, environmental contaminants, prohibited substances, and other veterinary drugs.
A total of 600,320 samples were reported to the European Commission. They consisted of 342,850 targeted samples and 3,892 suspect samples reported under Council Directive 96/23/EC.
There were also 2,772 samples collected at import and 250,806 samples collected in the framework of programmes developed under national legislation.
The report found that in 2022, the percentage of non-compliant samples was 0.18%, which is comparable to the previous 13 years when non-compliance ranged from 0.17% to 0.37%. The figure for 2021 was 0.17%.
The overall level of non-compliance in targeted samples (i.e., those taken to detect illegal use or check non-compliance with the maximum permitted levels) was 0.27% which is comparable to the previous four years (0.24%-0.35%) and slightly higher than in 2021 (0.24%).
The majority of countries fulfilled the minimum requirements for sampling frequency laid down in the EU directive 96/23.
The Percentage of non-compliant samples reported in relation to the total number of targeted samples analysed for the respective group in 2017 -2022 is feautured in the table above.
Each group is represented by the following:
Group A –Substances having anabolic effect and unauthorised substances:
- A.1. Stilbenes, stilbene derivatives, and their salts and esters;
- A.2. Antithyroid agents;
- A.3. Steroids;
- A.4. Resorcylicacid lactones, including zeranol;
- A.5. Beta-agonists;
- A.6. Compounds included in Annex IV to Council Regulation (EEC) N° 2377/90 of 26 June 199019.
Group B –Veterinary drugs and contaminants:
- B.1. Antibacterial substances, including sulphonamides, quinolones;
- B.2. Other veterinary drugs (anthelmintics, anticoccidials, carbamates, pyrethroidsd, sedatives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAIDs);
- B.3. Other substances and environmental contaminants (organochlorine compounds, organophosphorus compounds, chemical elements mycotoxinse.
Veterinary drug residues
Overall, the percentage of non‐compliant samples in 2022 (0.18%) was comparable to the previous 13 years (0.17%‐0.37%).
In group of steroids (A3), 0.31% of the samples were non-compliant; the non-compliant samples were found in bovines (0.28%), pigs (0.22%), poultry (0.40%) and sheep and goats (2.32%).
In group of resorcylic acid lactones, 0.09% of the samples were non-compliant; the non-compliant samples were found in bovines (0.14%), horses (0.82%) and pigs (0.07%).
For antibacterials, 0.14% of the samples analysed under the Directive 96/23/EC monitoring were non-compliant.
The highest frequency of non-compliant samples for antibacterials was found in honey (1.44%).
In other veterinary drugs, the highest proportion of non-compliant samples was found for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (0.19%).
These non-compliant samples were reported across the different species as follows; bovines (0.30%), horses (1.15%), milk (0.33%), pigs (0.05%) and sheep and goats (0.17%).
Instances of non-compliance for anthelmintics were reported in bovines (0.04%), milk(0.06%), pigs (0.03%) and sheep and goats (0.20%).
For anticoccidials, 0.14% of the samples analysed were non-compliant and were reported across the different species as follows: eggs (0.49%), pigs (0.04%), poultry (0.12%) and rabbit meat (1.90%).