Residue control of coccidiostats in food of animal origin in Poland during 2007-2010

Coccidiostats are widely used as feed additives to prevent coccidiosis. The off-label use of anticoccidials or feeding non-target animals with cross-contaminated feedingstuffs may result in the occurrence of coccidiostat residues in animal tissues and eggs. In EU countries, food of animal origin is subjected to official control of residues according to Council Directive 96/23/EC. In Poland, within the framework of the National Residue Control Plan, 3718 samples (3533 targeted and 185 suspect) of animal liver, eggs, drinking water and feed were tested for coccidiostats between 2007 and 2010. Violative residues of nicarbazin, lasalocid, maduramicin, salinomycin, semduramicin and robenidine were detected in 77 food samples (53 samples of chicken liver, 23 samples of eggs and 1 sample of turkey liver). A high percentage (31%) of non-compliant feed samples collected during follow-up investigations was observed, which confirms that feed cross-contamination may be the reason of the occurrence of coccidiostat residues in food.