Host Government: United States

The Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) determines priorities for the consideration of residues of veterinary drugs in foods and recommends Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for veterinary drugs. The Committee also develops codes of practice, as may be required, and considers methods of sampling and analysis for the determination of veterinary drug residues in food. A veterinary drug is defined as any substance applied or administered to a food producing animal, such as meat or milk producing animals, poultry, fish or bees, whether used for therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic purposes, or for modification of physiological functions or behavior.

A Codex Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for Residues of Veterinary Drugs is the maximum concentration of residue resulting from the use of a veterinary drug (expressed in mg/kg or ug/kg on a fresh weight basis) that is recommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be permitted or recognized as acceptable in or on a food. An MRL is based on the type and amount of residue considered to be without any toxicological hazard for human health as expressed by the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) or on the basis of a temporary ADI that utilizes an additional safety factor. The MRL also takes into account other relative public health risks as well as food technological aspects.

When establishing an MRL, consideration is also given to residues that occur in food of plant origin or the environment. Furthermore, the MRL may be reduced to be consistent with good veterinary practices in the use of veterinary drugs and to the extent that practical analytical methods are available.

An Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is an estimate by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the amount of a veterinary drug, expressed on a body weight basis, which can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

The 19th Session of the Committee met in Burlington, Vermont, on August 30-September 3, 2010. The reference document is ALINORM REP11/RVDF. The results of the 19th session of the CCRVDF will be considered by the Commission at the 34th Session in July 2011. To be considered for final adoption at Step 8:

• Draft MRLs for Narasin (pig tissues) and Tilmicosin (chicken and turkey tissues)

The Committee will continue work on the following:

• Draft MRLs for Narasin (cattle tissues)
• Proposed draft Sampling Plans for Residue Control in Aquatic Animal Products and Derived Edible Products of Aquatic Origin
• Proposed draft Guidelines on Performance Characteristics for Multi-Residue Methods
• Priority list of veterinary drugs requiring evaluation or re-evaluation by JECFA
• Proposed amendments to the Risk Analysis Principles for CCRVDF for comments and consideration at the next session
• Proposed revision of Risk Analysis Principles Applied by the CCRVDF and the Risk Assessment Policy for the Setting of MRLs for Veterinary Drugs
• Discussion paper on Extrapolation of MRLs to Additional Species and Tissues
• Database on need for MRLs of developing countries
• Proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference of CCRVDF
• Risk management recommendations for the veterinary drugs for which no ADI or MRL has been recommended by JECFA due to specific human health concerns
• Discussion paper on Policy for the Establishment of MRLs or Other Limits in Honey

Delegate's Report of the 20th Session held in San Juan, PR, May 7-11, 2012

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