EFSA reports the status of residues found in products of animal origin

• Iceland,
• Norway
• United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

in accordance with Directive 96/23/EC.

In 2021, 27 out of 27 European Union (EU) Member States, reported the results of 621,205 samples taken under the framework of Article 31 of Regulation EC 178/2002, for residue monitoring. A total of 351,637 targeted samples and 4,562 suspect samples were reported under Council Directive 96/23/EC.

Additionally, 262,203 samples collected in the framework of other programmes developed under the national legislation and 2,803 samples checked at import, were reported.

A report was issued analyzing the data from targeted samples reported under Council Directive 96/23/EC. The report covers various substance groups including hormones, antibacterials, environmental contaminants, prohibited substances and other veterinary drugs. Meanwhile samples that were collected under different sampling strategies (suspect, import or ‘other’) were reported separately. Considering the fact that these did not follow the guidelines of a designed monitoring plan.

Highlights of the Report

• The number of tested samples slightly increased compared to 2020.
• In 2021, the percentage of non-compliant samples was 0.17%, which is the lowest figure registered in the past 12 years when non-compliance ranged from 0.19% to 0.37%. The figure for 2020 was 0.19%.
• The overall level of non-compliance in targeted samples (i.e. those taken to detect illegal uses or check non-compliance with the maximum permitted levels) also decreased to 0.24%, compared to 0.27%-0.35% over the previous four years.

Final remarks

Residues of veterinary drugs and other substances found in animals and animal-derived food continue to decline in the European Union and compliance levels are on the rise, the latest data reveals.

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Source: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en

Read full report: https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-7886