EFSA has released its report for 2016 on the results from the monitoring of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances in live animals and animal products, which suggests high rates of compliance.
The percentage of non-compliance in targeted samples – i.e. samples taken to detect illegal use or check non-compliance with the maximum levels – was 0.31%, which is within the range of 0.25%-0.37% reported over the previous nine years.
Non-compliance for chemical contaminants such as metals was higher than for other groups of substances. Non-compliance for resorcylic acid lactones (hormonally active compounds that can be man-made or produced by fungi), mycotoxins (toxins from fungi) and anti-thyroid agents all decreased in 2016.
Also, the highest and lowest frequencies of non-compliant samples for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibacterials, respectively, were reported in 2016 compared to previous years.
The EU monitoring of these substances helps to protect consumers and animals by ensuring a high degree of compliance with EU regulations. Overall, 710,000 samples were reported in 2016 from 27 of the 28 EU Member States.