Six Languages for ‘Veterinary Drug Residue In Food’ Online Database

The database is now available online in 6 languages, but what are minimum residue limits in veterinary drugs (MRLs) and why do we need them? Two Codex Senior Food Standards Officers respond.

 

Food from animals (e.g meat, milk, eggs, fish, seafood etc) treated with veterinary drugs/medicines must not contain any residue that might represent a hazard to the health of the consumer.

The most important use of veterinary drugs is treating sick animals. After animals have been treated, it often takes weeks for the medicine to leave the animal's system – this is called the withdrawal period – and the animal should not be milked or slaughtered during this period. However, to wait for all traces of the substance to be gone from the animal would not be practical nor economical, as minimal residues of most substances will not harm consumers. This safe level is what the MRL expresses.

Codex establishes these MRLs on the basis of the scientific advice provided by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). These MRLs can be used by governments as the basis for national legislation.

How many MRLs are there?

Codex has established MRLs for over 60 veterinary medicines used in various animals, including cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, chickens, ducks, trout, seafood etc.

Why are they important?

MRLs ensure that when veterinary medicines are used in animals they do not result in residues that might represent a hazard to the health of consumers. Countries use them as the basis of the national legislation.

What are the consequences of not using MRLs or of not having them?

MRLs are a tool to ensure that residues of veterinary drugs are not present in food at a concentration that may result in a hazard to human health. MRLs also ensure that when veterinary medicines are used in animals they are used according to good veterinary practices.

Recommended withdrawal periods have been established for each drug and each animal species, and if these are followed whatever residues of the drug are left in the animal (and in the products we eat) should be below the MRLs.

The Database also contains RMRs. What are they?

Risk Management Recommendations (RMRs) are a new set of recommendations addressing veterinary medicines for which JECFA has concluded that their residues in food would represent a risk to consumers (i.e there is no safe concentration of their residues). An example of this is the tranquillizing agent Chlorpromazine.

Who decides the levels for MRLs?

Codex MRLs are ultimately approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which meets every year. Before this, each MRL is discussed and decided upon by the Codex Committee on residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCVRDF), based on the scientific advice provided by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).

Who can use the database?

It is freely available to everyone. The database provides users with all Codex MRLs and RMRs in a searchable format. MRLs are searchable by veterinary medicine and functional class (e.g. anthelmintic, antibacterial etc). The database also provides the link to the JECFA evaluation. The database is used by national authorities (e.g. food legislators, food inspectors), food producers, including farmers, universities, consumers and the general public.

What new work is underway?

The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods is the Codex body responsible for the elaboration of Codex MRLs and RMRs for veterinary medicines.
The next meeting will take place in San José Costa Rica from 27 April - 1st May 2015. Click here for details.

Links for further information

The Codex database of over 60 drugs is now available in six languages with the recent addition of Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

05/03/2015