Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods

23/04/2015

The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods will be meeting next week in San José Costa Rica for its 22nd Session.

Understanding Codex

Food-producing animals may be treated with veterinary medicines to prevent or cure disease. The medicine may leave residues in the food from such treated animals. Food can also contain residues of pesticides and contaminants to which animals have been exposed. In all cases, the levels of residues in food should not harm the consumer.

The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) determines priorities for the consideration of residues of veterinary drugs in foods and recommends Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for veterinary drugs.

Some definitions

A Codex Maximum Limit for Residues of Veterinary Drugs (MRL) is the maximum concentration or residue that results from the use of a veterinary drug (expressed in mg/kg or g/kg on a fresh weight basis) recommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be legally permitted or recognised as acceptable in or on a food.

An MRL is based on the type and amount of residue considered to be without any toxicological hazard from human health as expressed by the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)*, or on the basis of a temporary ADI that utilises an additional safety factor. An MRL also considers public health risks as well as food technology issues.

*Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI): an estimate by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the amount of a veterinary drug, expressed on a body weight basis, that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

When establishing a MRL, residues that occur in food of plant origin and/or the environment are also considered. Furthermore, a MRL may be reduced to be consistent with good practices in the use of veterinary drugs to the extent that practical and analytical methods are available.

Existing Codex Standards

Standards relating to residues of veterinary drugs in foods include standards on:

  • Control of the Use of Veterinary Drugs
  • Glossary of Terms and Definitions (Veterinary Drugs Residues in Foods)
  • Guidelines for the Establishment of a Regulatory Program for Control of
  • Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods
  • Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food

For a full list of standards approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, click here.