The US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is set to implement new testing methods to detect illegal drug residues in meat, poultry, and egg products, as a part of its effort to improve food safety and protect consumers.
The new testing system, which will be implemented later this summer, will enable the agency to conserve resources; provide reliable results; and examine more chemical compounds from each sample.
USDA Food Safety under secretary Elisabeth Hagen said the new testing methods will help safeguard consumers from illegal drug residues in meat product.
"By allowing us to test for more chemical compounds from each sample, these changes will enable USDA to identify and evaluate illegal drug residues more effectively and efficiently," Hagen added.
Previously, the agency collected 300 samples from 300 cows and checked for just one chemical; however, through the new system, it is possible to test one sample for as many as 55 pesticide chemicals, nine kinds of antibiotics, various metals, and eventually more than 50 other chemicals.
In addition, FSIS is also beefing up its scheduled sampling program by increasing the annual number of samples per slaughter class from 300 to 800.
