In the framework of article 31 of Regulation EC 178/2002[1], the European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority to analyse the results of residue monitoring in live animals and animal products in the Member States. The present report summarises the monitoring data from 2009.
Regulation (EU) No 37/2010[2] establishes maximum limits for residues of veterinary medicinal products in food-producing animals and animal products. Council Directive 96/23/EC[3] lays down measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof, mainly veterinary medicinal products, in live animals and animal products. Additionally, Commission Decision 97/747/EC[4] lays down levels and frequencies of sampling for certain animal products.
As stated in the 2008 report, the current residue database hosted by the European Commission does not contain the total number of samples (compliant and non-compliant) tested for each individual substance. Consequently, it was not possible to calculate the percentage of positive samples for a specific substance and ascertain whether these vary significantly between successive years. Differences in the number of non-compliant results seen overall, for a group of substances or for an individual substance, could thus be due either to a higher number of tests performed, or to a higher non-compliant rate. Also, it was not possible to identify the samples non-compliant for more than one substance.
Comparing to the previous reports, the structure and the data analysis performed in the present report have been improved. However, this may cause some difficulties when comparing the 2009 data to the previous reports’ data. In the present report, the EU overall assessment includes all animal/animal product categories and is presented for each main substance group. In the previous reports this included only livestock animals. Assessment of samples analysed, non-compliant samples and non-compliant results are presented for each animal/animal product category separately. Results which were not reported under the Council Directive 96/23/EC are not included in the overall assessment but treated separately. Suspect samples were evaluated separately from the targeted samples.
Altogether, there were 764 736 samples reported in the framework of the 2009 residue monitoring in the EU. A total of 484 087 samples (445 968 targeted samples, 38 119 suspect samples) were reported under the Council Directive 96/23/EC. Additionally, one Member State reported 280 649 samples for inhibitor tests which were not included in the overall assessment.
The minimum requirements for sampling frequency laid down in Council Directive 96/23/EC and in Commission Decision 97/747/EC have been fulfilled in 2009 for the EU overall, and by the vast majority of the individual Member States.
From the total of collected targeted samples, 40.9 % were analysed for substances having anabolic effect and prohibited substances (group A) and 63.1 % for veterinary drugs and contaminants (group B). There were 1 406 non-compliant samples (0.32 %) (1 493 non-compliant results) out of the 445 968 targeted samples. This situation was similar to the one in 2008 when 0.34 % of the targeted samples were non-compliant[5]. The percentage of non-compliant samples calculated from the total number of samples analysed for substances in that category was: 0.18 % for substances having anabolic effect and prohibited substances (A), 0.21 % for antibacterials (B1), 0.30 % for “other veterinary drugs” (B2), and 1.08 % for “other substances and environmental contaminants” (B3).
Of all the targeted samples analysed for the category “hormones” in all animal/product categories, 0.26 % were non-compliant. As in 2008, there were no non-compliant samples for stilbenes and derivatives (A1). For antithyroid agents (A2), there were 0.46 % non-compliant samples, all for thiouracil, but most likely caused by feeding cruciferous plants. In the group of steroids (A3), which includes some results on corticosteroids, there have been 0.39 % non-compliant samples in all animal and product categories. The non-compliant samples were found in bovines (0.34 %), pigs (0.30 %), sheep and goats (3.65 %), horses (1.27 %), poultry (0.05 %), and aquaculture (0.46 %). The most frequent identified anabolic steroids were alpha-boldenone (n = 65), nandrolone (n = 64), and epinandrolone (n = 17). However, several Member States claimed that residues of boldenone-alpha and epinandrolone (19-norepitestosterone) were more likely of endogenous nature. Non compliant samples for corticosteroids were reported in group A3 (n = 27) and in group B2f (n = 27). The majority of incidences of non-compliance for corticosteroids were reported in bovines (n = 48). Substances identified were dexamethasone (n = 43), prednisolone (n = 16), and prednisone (n = 5). In the group of resorcylic acid lactones (A4), 0.17 % of the samples were non-compliant for zearanol and taleranol. For beta-agonists (A5), only two non-compliant samples were detected in 2009 (0.01 %). For prohibited substances (A6), 0.07 % of the samples were found to be non-compliant. Substances identified were chloramphenicol (n = 25), nitrofurans (n = 25) and nitroimidazoles (n = 9).
For antibacterials (B1), 0.21 % of the samples analysed under Directive 96/23 were non-compliant. Additionally, Germany reported non-compliant results from applying inhibitor tests. The highest frequencies of non-compliant samples for antibacterials were found in honey (0.98 %), rabbit meat (0.63 %), and aquaculture (0.48 %).
There were 0.26 % non-compliant samples for substances in the category “other veterinary drugs” (B2). A relatively high proportion of non-compliant samples was found for anticoccidials (B2b): 2.05 % in poultry, 1.19 % in eggs, 4.44 % in rabbits, and 0.54 % in farmed game. Non-compliances for anthelmintics (B2a) were reported in bovines (0.14 %), pigs (0.1 %), sheep and goats (0.28 %), aquaculture (0.39 %), and milk (0.3 %). For carbamates and pyrethroids (B2c), there was only one non-compliant sample in pigs, and one in wild game. No non-compliant sample was reported for sedatives (B2d). For non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (B2e) there were non-compliant samples in bovines (0.13 %), sheep and goats (0.2 %), horses (0.6 %), poultry (0.46 %), milk (0.03 %), and rabbits (1.39 %). Non-compliant samples for “other pharmacologically active substances” (B2f) were reported in bovines (0.37 %), poultry (0.2 %), and pigs (0.09 %).
There were 1.08 % non-compliant samples in the group of “other substances and environmental contaminants (B3)”. The highest percentage of non-compliant samples in almost all species was found for chemical elements (B3c) (2.25 %). Cadmium, lead, and mercury were the most frequently reported elements. Instances of non-compliance for organochlorine compounds (B3a) and organophosphorus compounds (B3b) were much lower: 0.19 % and 0.04 %, respectively. For mycotoxins (B3d), nine non-compliant samples for ochratoxin A in pigs, one for aflatoxin B1 in sheep and goats, and five for aflatoxin M1 in milk were reported. Dyes (B3e) were reported in aquaculture (1.6 %). Substances found were malachite green and leuco-malachite-green.
The residue situation in 2009 was similar to the two previous years for all substance groups. However, because the sampling plan and the spectrum of analysed substances were not necessarily the same over the three years, such comparisons should be regarded as having a high degree of uncertainty.
Source: EFSA
