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Prohibited substances in animal feed
Since 1981, the European Union has been regulating the use of certain chemical substances used in livestock breeding because of their hormonal properties, or to promote growth. An example of this is the banning, over 30 years ago, of administering substances such as testosterone, zeranol, melegestrol acetate etc. to animals for food.
Considering that, due to residues remaining in the meat and other products of animal origin, some substances with a thyrostatic, oestrogenic, androgenic or gestagenic action may be dangerous to consumers and can also affect the quality of food products of animal origin, EU legislation lays down that:
"Member States must prohibit the sale of substances listed in annex II (see lists below) for administering with a purpose different from those established in article 4, section 2, to animals whose meat and products are intended for human consumption".
List A (prohibited substances):
- Thyrostatic substances
- Stilbenes, stilbene derivatives, salts and esters.
- 17-Beta-Oestradiol or its ester-type derivatives.
List B (Prohibited substances with exceptions): Beta-agonists.
Currently, the basic rule containing all these measures is Royal Decree 2178/2004, of 12 November 2004, prohibiting the use of certain substances with a hormonal action, or thyrostatic beta-agonists for use in rearing livestock (B.O.E. 13.11.2004) recently amended by Royal Decree 562/2009 . These rules constitute the transposition of Council Directive 96/22/EC of 29 April 1996, concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of ß-agonists, and its later amendments.
Residue monitoring plan
Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996, relating to control measures applying to certain substances and their residues in live animals and their products, and which repealed Directives 85/358/EEC and 86/469/EEC and Decisions 89/187/EEC and 91/664/EEC, incorporated into Spanish internal legislation via Royal Decree 1749/1998 creates and organises plans for monitoring residues in products of animal origin, and lays down, among others, measures for following up abnormal results, while at the same time, trying to make producers and all those involved in the livestock sector assume more responsibility for rendering harmless any product of animal origin from their premises sent for human consumption.
The substances subject to the above control measures can be classified as follows:
GROUP A — Substances with an anabolic effect and unauthorised substances
- Stilbenes, stilbene derivatives, salts and esters.
- Antithyroid agents
- Steroids
- Resorcylic Acid Lactones (including Zeranol)
- Beta-agonists
- Substances included in Annex IV of regulation (EEC) No 2377/90 of the Council, 26 June 1990.
GROUP B — Veterinary medicaments and contaminants
- Antibacterial substances, including sulphamides, quinolones
- Other veterinary medicaments
- Anthelmintics
- Anticoccidia, including nitroimadazoles
- Carbamates and pyrethroids
- Tranquillisers
- Non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents
- Other substances with a pharmacological activity
- Other substances and environmental pollutants
- Organochlorine compounds, including PCBs
- Organophosphorus compounds
- Chemical elements
- Mycotoxins
- Colours
- Other
Animals and products covered by Directive 96/23/EC are the following:
- Cattle (live animals and meat)
- Sheep and goats (live animals and meat)
- Pigs (live animals and meat)
- Equidae (live animals and meat)
- Poultry (live animals and meat)
- Aquaculture (live animals and products)
- Milk
- Eggs
- Rabbits (live animals and meat)
- Wild game (meat)
- Farmed game (live animals and meat)
- Honey
Finally, it should be pointed out that AESAN, as part of its competence, presides over the National Commission for Coordinating Research and Control of residues or substances in live animals and products. Further information can be found in the section "official control" on this website, also in the annual report on activities by AESAN.
IMPORTING PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN AND CONTROL OF RESIDUES
As a consequence of the above, and with a view to maintaining a high degree of food safety in the EU, Community rules only allow a product of animal origin to be imported if it comes from a third country, or part of a third country, that, among other requirements, has approval for the product in question, and the corresponding plan for monitoring residues in accordance with Directive 96/23/EC of the Council. Decision 2004/432/EC lists the third countries that have presented a residue monitoring plan, in accordance with Directive 96/23/EC.
Therefore, the products mentioned above can only be imported if the come from third countries, or part of these, which in accordance with the Annex of Decision 2004/432/EC (last amended by Decision 2009/800/EC), have an approved residue monitoring plan for the product in question (and, therefore, is marked "X" in the column for the product).
Examples of emergency measures applying to importing products of animal origin with regard to the possible presence of residues from veterinary medicines are Decision 2002/994/EC, updated by Decision 2009/799/EC, applying to products from China, and Decision 2009/727/EC applying to crustaceans from India.
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