The National Residue Control Plan involves testing for banned substances, approved veterinary medicines, approved animal feed additives, and environmental contaminants.
The results of testing carried out as part of the official monitoring programme under the National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) in 2021 show continued high levels of compliance.
The overall rate of compliance remained at a level of 99.89%, the Department of Agriculture has announced.
The NRCP involves testing for banned substances, approved veterinary medicines, approved animal feed additives, and environmental contaminants.
15,922 samples were tested in 2021, taken across the eight food-producing species which include bovine, sheep, goats, pigs, equine, poultry, farmed game, wild game, and aquaculture as well.
Milk, eggs, and honey samples are also tested.
High level of compliance since 2013
Most samples are taken in accordance with legislative and risk-based criteria designed to target animals or products that are more likely to contain illegal residues.
Results show that 99.89% of samples tested negative for illegal residues and this is a continuation of the trend over a number of years of a general absence of residues in Irish food products, according to the department.
This high level of compliance has been consistent since 2013.
The department said it acknowledges this as an indicator of the responsible approach adopted by the vast majority of farmers in their use of animal remedies and feed additives.
This monitoring programme helps to protect consumers and animals by ensuring a high degree of compliance with EU regulations, the department added.
18 samples non-compliant
In total, 18 samples were identified as non-compliant, and of these, the majority related to residues of authorised medicines.
Risk assessments carried out by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in response to all non-compliant results found that there was no unacceptable food safety risk to consumers, and none required a recall of products from the market.
Follow-up on-farm investigations by the department took place for those positives where further risk analysis was deemed necessary.
Results from the extensive testing under the NRCP in 2021 and follow-up investigations found no evidence of the illegal use of banned growth-promoting hormones or other banned substances in food-producing animals in Ireland.
Commenting on the release of these results, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue noted the high levels of compliance with residue limits in Ireland’s agri-food sector.
“These results, which are highly reassuring in terms of consumer safety, show that 99.9% of all samples are in compliance with residue limits under our National Residue Control Plan, [and] are a key element in ensuring that Ireland’s reputation as a producer of high-quality safe food is maintained both in Ireland and throughout the world,” Mr McConalogue said.
“This allows us to export Irish agri-food products into markets all over the world, which as I witnessed myself in recent trade missions to the Far East, place a high value on knowing that Irish food products are a healthy and safe choice for their consumers.”
(Source – Irish Examiner – Farming – Kathleen O Sullivan – 24/11/2022)