According to the most recent data from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), residues of veterinary medications and other substances identified in animals and food derived from animals continue to decrease in the European Union, and compliance levels are increasing.
Data from Member States, Iceland, and Norway are reported in the EFSA’s annual report for 2021. Comparative to 2020, there was a small rise in the quantity of samples analysed.
In the previous 12 years, when non-compliance ranged from 0.19% to 0.37%, the percentage of non-compliant samples was 0.17% in 2021, which is the lowest level ever. The 2020 figure was 0.19%.
Additionally, the total level of non-compliance in targeted samples—those drawn to look for unlawful uses or check for non-compliance with the maximum permissible levels—decreased to 0.24% from 0.27%–0.35% over the preceding four years.
The study covers a wide range of material categories, such as hormones, antibacterial, pollutants in the environment, illegal substances, and other veterinary medications.