PARMA, ITALY – Following a request for assistance from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (E.F.S.A.) has published a technical study on the occurrence of residues of veterinary drugs in live animals and animal products entitled “Report for 2008 on the results from the monitoring of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances in food of animal origin in the Member States.”

Findings include anti-bacterials accounted for the highest proportion of the non-compliant results (46%), followed by hormones (19%) and substances categorized as “other veterinary medicinal products” (18%). The highest proportion of the non-compliant results were found in pigs (39%), followed by cows (31%) and poultry (17%). However, these animal groups also accounted for the highest number of samples taken.

This technical study is based on data provided by the 27 E.U. member states for 2008. Although a total of more than 750,000 targeted samples were reported, less than 2,000 (0.27%) results were found to be over the legal limits. The frequency of non-compliant results (i.e. those which exceeded maximum limits) was similar to that found in previous years for most regulated veterinary medicines.