Press release
Results from the National Residue Testing in 2022 show continued high levels of compliance
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine today released the results of testing carried out under the National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) in 2022 with the overall rate of compliance remaining at an extremely high level of 99.9%. The NRCP involves testing for banned substances, approved veterinary medicines, approved animal feed additives and environmental contaminants.
14,085 samples were tested in 2022, taken across the eight food producing species (bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine, equine, poultry, farmed game, wild game and aquaculture) as well as milk, eggs and honey. Most samples are taken in accordance with risk-based criteria designed to target animals or products that are more likely to contain illegal residues (‘targeted sampling’). Results show that 99.9% of samples tested were compliant and this is a continuation of the trend over several years of a general absence of residues in Irish food products. This high level of compliance has been consistent going back to 2013 and the department welcomes 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 control plan helps to protect consumers and animals by ensuring a high degree of compliance with EU regulations.
In total, 23 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 the 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 non-compliances where further action was deemed necessary.
Results from the extensive testing under the NRCP in 2022 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 results, Minister McConalogue noted the continued high level of compliance with residue limits among Ireland’s agri-food sector:
“These results, which show that 99.9% of all samples are in compliance with residue limits under our National Residue Control Plan, demonstrate the consistent high standard of food produced in Ireland, maintaining Ireland’s deserved reputation for high quality, safe food both home and abroad.”
The NRCP, which is approved by the European Commission, forms an important component of Ireland’s food safety controls and is implemented under a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). The NRCP, which is one element of the department’s overall National Control Plan, focuses on food of animal origin.