National Residue Program Quarterly Report (July-September 2023) 

National Residue Program 

In FY 2023 Q4, nine analytical methods were used by FSIS to detect approximately 260 different 

veterinary drugs, pesticides, and environmental contaminants. Accompanying this report is an Excel 

spreadsheet. This sheet includes detailed information regarding samples taken by FSIS in both the 

residue domestic scheduled and inspector-generated sampling programs, in addition to the residue 

import sampling program results. Additionally, the excel sheet includes quarterly metals and per- and 

polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) results. Key observations are below. 

Surveillance Sampling Plan 

Specified slaughter subclasses are sampled at the time of slaughter, after a carcass has passed 

antemortem inspection. Of the 1,565 samples analyzed by FSIS (1,516 from U.S. Federal plants and 49 

from U.S. State inspected plants), 4 sample contained violative chemical residues. In total, more than 

361,000 chemical residue analyses were conducted on the 1,565 samples collected under the 

surveillance sampling plan. 

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Table 1: Summary of FY 2023 Q4 Surveillance Sampling Results 

FY 2023 Q4 summary of surveillance sampling results from FSIS inspector-collected muscle, kidney, and liver tissue from carcasses and parts is 

shown. 

Number of Samples Analyzed this Quarter Total Number of Animal Number of Non- Animal Class Samples Planned for FY Total Number of Non- Number of Category Violative Positives 2023 Samples 1 Detect Samples Violative Samples Samples 

Bovine 

Beef Cows 800 183 182 - 1 

Bob Veal 400 90 88 2 -

Dairy Cows 800 203 203 - -

Formula-Fed Veal 75 8 8 - -

Heifers 400 78 78 - -

Non-Formula-Fed Veal 75 14 14 - -

Steers 400 112 109 3 -

Feral Swine 75 18 18 - -

Porcine Market Swine 800 209 207 2 -

Roaster Swine 300 35 35 - -

Sows 800 191 190 1 -

Poultry Young Chickens 400 110 109 1 -

Young Turkeys 400 84 82 2 -

Goats 300 77 75 - 2 

Other 

Species 

Lambs 100 24 24 - -

Sheep 100 23 23 - -

Siluriformes (Catfish) 200 60 59 - 1 

Egg Products 400 46 46 - -

Quarter Total 6,825 1,565 1,550 11 4 

1 For raw product, a sample is a representative portion of a meat, poultry, or egg product collected to identify potential microbiological, chemical, or 

pathological hazards. 

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Table 2: FY 2023 Q4 Number Collected NRP Surveillance Sampling Residues by Chemical Methods 

FY 2023 Q4 number collected surveillance sampling residue sampling summary is shown reflecting the number of samples (carcasses) analyzed 

per chemical method per animal class. 

Number of Samples Analyzed per Chemical Method 

Animal Animal Antifungal Beta Category Class Avermectins Aminoglycosides Carbadox Metals MRM1 Nitrofurans Pesticides PFAS2 

Dyes Agonists 

Bovine 

Beef Cows - 183 - - - 23 183 - 141 -

Bob Veal - 90 - - - 32 90 - 75 -

Dairy Cows - 203 - 1 - 12 203 - 151 -

Formula-Fed Veal - 8 - - - - 8 - 3 -

Heifers - 78 - - - 32 78 - 63 -

Non- Formula Fed Veal - 14 - - - - 14 - 6 -

Steers - 112 - - - 38 112 - 84 -

Feral Swine - - - - - - - - 18 16 

Porcine Market Swine - 209 - - - 19 209 - 162 42 

Roaster Swine - - - - 35 - - - - -

Sows - 191 - - - 23 191 - 145 39 

Poultry Young Chickens - 110 - - - 54 110 - 83 61 

Young Turkeys - 84 - - - 34 84 - 70 -

Other 

Species 

Goats 2 77 - - - - 77 - 16 -

Lambs - 24 - - - - 24 - 21 -

Mature Sheep - 23 - - - - 23 - 19 -

Siluriformes (Catfish) - - 44 - - 43 60 16 42 13 

Egg Products - - - - - - 46 - 46 -

Quarter Total 1 1,406 44 1 35 310 1,512 16 1,145 171 1 MRM: multiresidue method 

2 PFAS: polyfluoroalkyl substances 

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Table 3. FY 2023 Q4 Surveillance Sampling Residue Violations 

List of FY 2023 Q4 surveillance sampling residue violations, including specific compound, concentration, tolerance, and regulatory citation by 

animal class is shown. 

Animal 

Class Tissue Compound Concentration Units Tolerance Level Value Authority (CFR Citation) 

Beef Cow 

Goat 

Siluriformes 

Muscle 

Muscle 

Muscle 

Muscle 

Muscle 

Piperonyl Butoxide 

Moxidectin 

Ivermectin 

Moxidectin 

Metolachlor 

0.126 

--

--

--

--

ppm 

--

--

--

--

0.1 ppm 

--

--

--

--

40 CFR 180.127 

Not Approved/1/ 

Not Approved/1/ 

Not Approved/1/ 

Not Approved/1/ 

* Violative residue results were detected but not quantified. 

/1/Not Approved: the residue detected is not approved in that tissue for the animal class. 

ppm – parts per million (mg/kg) 

ppb – parts per billion (μg/kg) 

CFR – Code of Federal Regulations 

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Inspector-Generated Sampling Plan 

FSIS inspectors conduct inspector-generated sampling when they suspect that animals presented for 

slaughter may have violative levels of chemical residues. If an inspector suspects that there is misuse of 

drugs that cannot be detected by the KISTM test, the samples are sent directly to the laboratory for 

appropriate analysis. These samples are reported under the Inspector-Generated program. If an 

inspector suspects that there is misuse of drugs that cannot be detected by the KISTM test, the samples 

are sent directly to the laboratory for appropriate analysis. These samples are reported under the 

Collector-Generated program. 

In FY 2023 Q4, of the 27,422 Kidney Inhibition Swab (KISTM) tests conducted on animals selected by FSIS 

(Table 4), 379 samples were submitted to FSIS field laboratories for further analysis. In total, 79 chemical 

residue violations were reported in 68 samples (Table 5). Due to multiple analyses per sample 

submitted, multiple residue violations may be found in the same sample. The predominant violative 

residues in the inspector-generated samples were Desfuroylceftiofur (34), Penicillin (9), and 

Sulfadimethoxine (9) which account for 43%, 11%, and 11% (each) of total violative residues, 

respectively. 

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Table 4. Summary of FY 2023 Q4 Inspector-Generated Sampling (KISTM) Test and Confirmatory Tests 

FY 2023 Q4 summary of KISTM tests, number of in-plant screens with negative results, number of carcasses sent to FSIS laboratory for 

confirmation, and the number of carcasses (i.e., samples) with violations for each animal class. 

KIS TM Test 

Animal Category Animal Class Total Number of 

In-plant 

Number of In-plant 

Negative 

Number of Samples 

Analyzed in FSIS 

Number of Samples 

with Confirmed Lab 

Carcasses Carcasses Labs Violations 

Bovine 

Beef cows 2215 2161 39 6 

Bob Veal 1913 1901 10 3 

Bulls 355 339 11 1 

Dairy Cows 16442 16132 224 47 

Formula-fed Veal 26 24 1 -

Heavy Calves 13 12 1 -

Heifers 899 870 23 1 

Non-Formula-fed Veal 24 23 1 -

Steers 1885 1817 51 8 

Boar/Stag Swine 18 18 - -

Porcine Market Swine 2152 2134 13 -

Roaster Swine 331 330 1 -

Sows 616 612 2 2 

Adult Goats 22 22 - -

Young Goats 70 69 1 -

Other Species Goats 5 5 - -

Mature Sheep 96 96 - -

Lambs 339 334 1 -

Yak 1 1 - -

Quarter Total 27,422 26,900 379 68 

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Table 5. FY 2023 Q4 Inspector-Generated Sampling Residue Violation Results by Chemical Residue and Animal Class 

FY 2023 Q4 summary of chemical residue violations reported within the inspector-generated sampling. 

Dairy Quarter Chemical Residue Beef Cow Bob Veal Bull/Stag Heifer Steer Sow Cow Total 

Ampicillin - - - 2 - - - 2 

Ciprofloxacin - 2 - - - - 1 3 

Desfuroylceftiofur 1 - 1 27 - 4 1 34 

Dimetridazole 1 - - - - - - 1 

Doxycycline - - - 1 - - - 1 

Florfenicol - - - 1 1 - - 2 

Flunixin - - 1 2 - 1 2 6 

Gentamycin Sulfate - - - 2 1 - - 3 

Meloxicam - - - - - 1 - 1 

Neomycin - 2 - - - - - 2 

Penicillin - - 1 7 - 1 - 9 

Spectinomycin - 1 - - - - - 1 

Sulfadimethoxine - - - 9 - - - 9 

Sulfamethazine 1 - - - - - - 1 

Tilmicosin - 1 - 3 - - - 4 

Quarter Total 3 6 3 54 2 7 4 79 

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Table 6. Summary of FY 2023 Q4 Collected-Generated Sampling 

FY 2023 Q4 summary of suspect animal samples sent directly to FSIS laboratory (collected-generated sampling) for appropriate analysis. 

Number of Non- Number of Non-Detect Number of Violative Animal Category Animal Class Total Samples Violative Positives Samples Samples Samples 

Bovine 

Beef Cows 4 4 - -

Bob Veal 1 1 - -

Bulls 3 3 - -

Dairy Cows 7 7 - -

Heifers 19 16 3 -

Heavy Calves 1 1 - -

Steers 248 240 7 1 

Porcine Market Swine 197 186 10 1 

Roaster Swine 1 1 - -

Lamb 42 40 - 2 

Other Mature Sheep 2 2 - -

Adult Goat 2 2 - -

Young Goat 6 6 - -

In addition to the publication of the quarterly FY 2023 Sampling Summary NRP results, FSIS posts the details of each positive non-violative, and 

positive violative residue result associated with the NRP sampling program in a spreadsheet format on the FSIS Residue Chemistry website. 

This spreadsheet includes detailed information regarding samples collected and analyzed by FSIS under both the “scheduled” sampling and the 

“inspector-generated” sampling programs. Overall, these data indicate levels of metals in FSIS-regulated product, on average, are relatively low 

and are not likely to cause a human health concern. FSIS plans to update this spreadsheet on an ongoing basis so as to increase program 

transparency for all stakeholders. The spreadsheet includes the following data fields: sample collection and reviewed date, the project code, the 

animal class, tissue type, chemical residue name, concentration values, sample results (whether positive non-violative or positive violative), 

chemical concentration values (if any) and the CFR reference for each chemical listed. 

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Import Residue Sampling 

Imported meat, poultry, and egg products are sampled through the point-of-entry Import Reinspection Sampling Plan. This verifies that foreign 

inspection systems in exporting countries are equivalent to U.S. standards. A total of 315 samples were analyzed under this program in FY 2023 

Q4. During FY 2023 Q4, there were zero violative import samples. The results are summarized in Table 7. 

Table 7. Summary of FY 2023 Q4 Residue Sampling of Imported Products 

FY 2023 Q4 import residue samples by inspection level and production type. 

Normal Increased/1/ Intensified/2/ 

Product Name and Analytical 

Method 

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed 

Non-Violative 

Positives 

Samples 

Violative 

Positive 

Samples 

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed 

Non-Violative 

Positive 

Samples 

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed 

Non-Violative 

Positive 

Samples 

Quarter 

Total 

Imported - Metals 

IMPMETALS Metals 102 - - - - - - 102 

Imported - Pesticide 

IMPPESTICIDE Pesticides 190 - - - - - - 190 

Imported Egg 

Products -

Chemistry Pesticides 10 - - 4 - - - 14 

IMPRESEGG 

Imported Processed 

Products - Residue 

Eastern Lab Avermectins 6 - - - - - - 6 

IMPRESPR_EL 

Imported Processed 

Products - Residue 

Midwestern Lab Sulfonamides 7 - - - - - - 7 

IMPRESPR_MWL 

Quarter Total 315 0 0 4 0 0 0 319 

Project Code 

/1/Increased is a level of reinspection above the normal level that is directed by a FSIS management decision. Under increased reinspection, FSIS may hold, on a case-by-case basis, 

lots of imported meat, poultry, or egg products pending receipt of a laboratory analysis. If FSIS does not place the product on hold, the importer of record is still required to hold 

product tested for adulterants by FSIS and is not to allow such product to enter commerce unless and until negative results are received. 

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/2/Intensified is a level of reinspection that is implemented automatically by the Public Health Information System (PHIS) when a Type of Inspection PHIS task is reported as “Fail.” 

Under intensified reinspection, FSIS holds the sampled lot at the official import inspection establishment pending receipt of laboratory analysis. The sampled lot is not allowed to 

move off-site to be held. Intensified is a level of reinspection that is implemented automatically by the Public Health Information System (PHIS) when a Type of Inspection PHIS task 

is reported as “Fail.” Under intensified reinspection, FSIS holds the sampled lot at the official import inspection establishment pending receipt of laboratory analysis. The sampled lot 

is not allowed to move off-site to be held. 

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