USDA Expands Drug Residue Testing in Meat

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Monday new steps to safeguard the food supply with a new approach to testing residues in meat, poultry and egg products. USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen says the National Residue Program allows FSIS to test for the presence of chemical compounds in those products. The new efficiency methods will conserve resources and provide useful, reliable results while allowing the agency to analyze samples for more compounds than before.

That National Pork Producers Council is recommending FSIS revises its Draft Compliance Guide for Residue Prevention. While NPPC appreciates the thoughtful and thorough approach FSIS has taken to address concerns with repeat violators of the guide – NPPC President R.C. Hunt says the Council has concerns about producer notification of detected – but not violative – residues. Hunt says compliance with domestic and international maximum residue limits is vital to maintaining consumer confidence and growing markets while protecting animal and public health – which is why it’s a high priority for the pork industry.

NPPC would like FSIS to remove the requirement that establishments notify producers of non-violative residue findings because it could confuse producers and cause them to end use of animal health products that may be necessary – they may discourage establishments from performing in-plant testing above and beyond FSIS testing – and the action could dilute attention from repeat violators.

 

Source: NAFB News Service

Recommended Posts

Loading...