Veterinary residues annual report published

Monday 8 September 2008

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The Veterinary Residues Committee (VRC) 2007 Annual Report on the surveillance of veterinary residues in food in the UK is now available online. The report details the checks that have been done for a range of residues of veterinary medicines in food.

The VRC is an independent advisory committee overseeing UK surveillance of residues of veterinary medicines in UK-produced and imported foods. It advises the chief executives of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and the Food Standards Agency on its work and the importance of its results. The UK programme of residue surveillance is operated by the VMD. More information on the role of the Committee and its residue surveillance work can be found at the VRC website at the link below.

A couple of results were of particular interest to the Agency:

The Agency supported the VRC brand-name survey on chloramphenicol in high concentration royal jelly nutritional supplements. Where positive samples were found during the course of the survey, the Agency was notified and worked with local authorities and the companies involved to ensure that the products were withdrawn from sale. Where the products affected came from outside UK, the Agency notified the European Commission.
There was a fall in the number of Rapid Alert notifications about fish and shellfish products from countries outside the EU issued by the Agency to other countries in the European Union (EU). These products have been found with residues that have been banned in the EU due to concerns that they may damage DNA and/or cause cancer. There are several possible reasons for this fall, one being that some countries had introduced effective measures to reduce the levels of these residues in food.

The Food Standards Agency acts as a watchdog to ensure that food safety is given high priority during the authorisation and monitoring of veterinary medicines. This ensures any residues in food are kept as low as practically possible and within safe limits.

The Agency contributes to the UK surveillance overseen by the VRC, and acts upon the findings. Agency staff attend VRC meetings as advisers and the Agency nominates a member of the Committee.

External links The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites

Our Chief Scientist's blog (External) Veterinary Residues Committee

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Veterinary residues annual report published

External links The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites

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