Food

In a Pew Charitable Trusts’ analysis of the National Residue Program (NRP), implemented by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA, issues were found regarding the type of drug and chemical compounds that are selected for public health assessment, as well as the documenting and reporting of testing results. This is considered a health risk for consumers of meat and poultry products, as the NRP was found to fail in prioritizing compound selection based on health risks. Due to the lack of standards regarding data management, inconsistencies in which compounds to monitor, and the lack of inclusion of emerging compound threats and substances without established tolerance/dosage levels, the report concluded that there are significant deficiencies in the NRP. These issues can be remedied through updating operations and procedures within the program, being consistent about the compounds tested, and testing compounds that pose emerging public health risks.

Source: Pew Charitable Trusts

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