Food Law News - UK - 1997
Sept 1997: RESIDUES - Residues of Veterinary Medicines - New Legislation
MAFF/DoH Food Safety Bulletin, Sept 1997
Residues of Veterinary Medicines - New Legislation
The Animals and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations 1997 came into force on 11 August 1997 and implement two EC Directives. Council Directive 96/22/EC continues the existing ban on the use of hormonal growth promoters in food producing animals within the EC and extends it to beta-agonists under certain circumstances. Council Directive 96/23/EC harmonises, improves and extends the present controls on the surveillance of veterinary medicinal residues in meat.
In implementing these requirements, the regulations revoke and re-enact provisions formerly contained in the Animals, Meat and Meat Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations 1991, the Medicines (Stilbenes and Thyrostatic Substances) Regulations 1982, the Medicines (Hormone Growth Promoters)(Prohibition of Use) Regulations 1988 and the Animals and Fresh Meat (Hormonal Substances) Regulations 1988.
The Regulations:
- prohibit the sale, possession or administration to animals of specified unauthorised substances;
- prohibit the possession, slaughter or processing of the meat of animals intended for human consumption which contain, or which have been administered with, specified unauthorised substances;
- prohibit the sale or supply for slaughter of animals if the appropriate withdrawal period has not expired and prohibit the supply for slaughter or, subject to exceptions, the sale, of animals or the sale of animal products which contain unauthorised substances or an excess of authorised substances;
- prohibit, subject to exception, the disposal for human or animal consumption of slaughtered animals containing specified unauthorised substances;
- empower authorised officers to inspect and examine animals and to take samples and rovide for the analysis of official samples;
- provide for offences and penalties and for enforcement by each enforcement authority;
- specify requirements relating to record keeping.
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