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National Residue Program Quarterly Report (Oct–Dec 2020)

National Residue Program

In FY 2021 Q1, eight analytical methods were used by FSIS to detect approximately 260 different 

veterinary drugs, pesticides, and environmental contaminants. 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 1,912 samples analyzed by FSIS (1,871 from U.S. Federal plants and 41

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

332,000 chemical residue analyses were conducted on the 1,912 samples collected under the 

surveillance sampling plan. 

 
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Table 1: Summary of FY 2021 Q1 Surveillance Sampling Results

Animal

Category Animal Class

Total Number of 

Samples Planned for FY

2021

Number of Samples Analyzed this Quarter

Total

Samples1

Number of NonDetect Samples

Number of NonViolative Positives

Samples

Number of 

Violative Samples

Bovine

Beef Cows 800 201 198 2 1

Bob Veal 400 78 78 -- --

Dairy Cows 800 208 207 1 --

Formula-Fed Veal 75 15 15 -- --

Heifers 400 106 101 5 --

Non-Formula-Fed Veal 75 12 12 -- --

Steers 400 105 93 12 --

Porcine

Feral Swine 75 15 15 -- --

Market Swine 800 198 198 -- --

Roaster Swine 300 72 72 -- --

Sows 800 175 175 -- --

Poultry

Young Chickens 400 105 104 1 --

Whole Chickens 400 95 94 1 --

Young Turkeys 800 236 233 3 --

Other

Species

Goats 300 73 73 -- --

Lambs 100 22 21 1 --

Mature Sheep 100 17 17 -- --

Siluriformes (Catfish) 650 139 138 1 --

Egg Products 400 40 39 1 --

Annual Total 8,075 1,912 1,883 28 1

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 2021 Q1 Surveillance Sampling Results by Chemical Method

Animal

Category

Animal

Class

Number of Samples Analyzed per Chemical Method

Aminoglycosides Antifungal 

Dyes Carbadox Metals MRM Nitrofurans Pesticides PFAS

Bovine

Beef Cows 201 -- -- 30 201 -- 111 --

Bob Veal 78 -- -- 19 78 -- 42 --

Dairy Cows 208 -- -- 33 208 -- 105 --

Formula-Fed Veal 15 -- -- -- 15 -- -- --

Heifers 106 -- -- 21 106 -- 51 --

Non- Formula Fed Veal 12 -- -- -- 12 -- -- --

Steers 105 -- -- 18 105 -- 59 --

Porcine

Feral Swine -- -- -- -- -- -- 15 --

Market Swine 198 -- -- 29 198 -- 116 25

Roaster Swine -- -- 72 -- -- -- -- --

Sows 175 -- -- 24 175 -- 91 20

Poultry

Young Chickens 105 -- -- 27 105 18 18 --

Whole Chickens 95 -- -- -- 95 95 95 68

Young Turkeys 236 -- -- 44 236 124 124 --

Other

Species

Goats 72 -- -- -- 73 -- 34 --

Lambs 22 -- -- -- 22 -- 11 --

Mature Sheep 17 -- -- -- 17 -- 11 --

Siluriformes (Catfish) -- 124 -- 125 138 14 14 18

Egg Products -- -- -- -- 35 -- 40 --

Annual Total 1645 124 72 370 1819 251 937 131
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Table 3. FY 2021 Q1 Surveillance Sampling Residue Violations

List of FY 2021 Surveillance Sampling residue violations (specific compound, concentration, tolerance and regulatory citation) by animal class.

Animal

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

Beef Cow Muscle Diazinon * * * Not Approved

* Violative residue results were detected but not quantified.

/1/Not Approved: the residue detected is not approved for the animal class.
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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 2021 Q1, of the 33,997 Kidney Inhibition Swab (KISTM) tests conducted on animals selected by FSIS 

(Table 4), 604 samples were submitted to FSIS field laboratories for further analysis. In total, 131

chemical residue violations were reported in 106 samples. 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 ceftiofur (32), penicillin (22), and neomycin (19), 

which account for 24%, 17%, and 16% of total violative residues, respectively. 
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Table 4. Summary of FY 2021 Q1 Inspector-Generated Sampling (KISTM) Test and Confirmatory Tests

FY 2021 Q1 summary of in-plant screening tests performed using the KISTM test, number of in-plant screens with negative results, number of 

carcasses sent to FSIS laboratory for confirmation, and the number of carcasses with violations for each animal class. 

Animal Category Animal Class

KIS TM Test 

Total Number of 

In-plant

Carcasses

Number of In-plant

Negative

Carcasses

Number of Samples 

Analyzed in FSIS 

Labs

Number of Samples 

with Confirmed Lab 

Violations 

Bovine

Beef Cows 2,733 2,659 76 8

Bob Veal 7,241 7,195 46 27

Bulls 349 329 21 2

Dairy Cows 16,489 16,141 347 60

Heavy Calves 78 76 2 0

Formula-fed Veal 22 22 0 0

Heifers 1,013 984 29 2

Non-Formula-fed Veal 56 56 0 0

Steers 1,830 1,790 41 2

Porcine

Boar/Stag Swine 19 19 0 0

Market Swine 2,669 2,649 20 0

Roaster Swine 255 253 1 0

Sows 858 844 14 1

Other Species

Goats 137 133 4 3

Mature Sheep 70 69 1 1

Lambs 178 176 2 0

Annual Total 33,997 33,395 604 106
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Table 5. FY 2021 Q1 Inspector-Generated Sampling Residue Violation Results by Chemical Residue and Animal Class

FY 2021 Q1 summary of chemical residue violations reported within the inspector-generated sampling.

Chemical Residue 

Animal Class

Beef Cow Bob Veal Bull/Stag Dairy Cow Goat Heifer Mature Sheep Sow Steer Annual Total

Ampicillin -- -- -- 4 -- -- -- -- -- 4

Ciprofloxacin -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Desethylene Ciprofloxacin -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Desfuroylceftiofur -- 2 -- 29 -- 1 -- -- -- 32

Doxycycline -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1

Enrofloxacin -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Florfenicol 5 1 -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 7

Florfenicol Amine -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Flunixin -- 3 -- 5 -- -- -- -- -- 8

Gentamycin Sulfate -- -- 2 6 -- -- -- -- -- 8

Meloxicam -- -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- 2

Neomycin -- 19 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 19

Oxyphenylbutazone -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Oxytetracycline 1 -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- 2

Penicillin 4 -- -- 16 -- -- 1 1 -- 22

Phenylbutazone -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Sulfadimethoxine 1 1 -- 3 -- -- -- -- 2 7

Sulfadoxine -- -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- 2

Sulfamethazine 1 1 -- 2 -- -- -- -- 1 5

Sulfamethoxazole -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Sulfathiazole -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1

Tetracycline -- -- -- 1 1 -- -- -- -- 2

Tilmicosin -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- 1

Tylosin -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- 1

Annual Total 12 33 4 72 3 2 1 1 3 131
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Table 6. Summary of FY 2021 Q1 Collected-Generated Sampling

FY 2021 Q1 summary of suspect animal samples sent directly to FSIS laboratory (collected-generated sampling) for appropriate analysis.

Animal Category Animal Class Number of Non-Detect 

Samples

Number of NonViolative Positives

Samples

Number of Violative 

Samples Total Samples

Bovine

Beef Cow 3 -- -- 3

Bull/Stag 1 -- -- 1

Dairy Cow 10 -- 1 11

Heavy Calf 1 -- -- 1

Steer 3 1 -- 4

Porcine Market Swine 1 -- -- 1

Sow 1 -- -- 1

Poultry Young Turkey 1 -- -- 1

Annual Total 21 1 1 23

In addition to the publication of the FY 2021 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 website at: 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/data-collection-and-reports/chemistry/red-books/redbook

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 903 samples were analyzed under this program in FY 2021

Q1, of which three samples were violative. Those violative samples originated from the following countries: Argentina, New Zealand, and The 

People's Republic of China Canada. The results are summarized in Table 7.

Table 7. Summary of FY 2021 Q1 Residue Sampling of Imported Products

FY 2021 Q1 import residue samples by inspection level and production type.

Product Name and 

Project Code

Analytical 

Method

Normal Increased/1/ Intensified/2/

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed

NonViolative 

Positives

Samples

Violative 

Samples

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed

Non-Violative 

Positives

Samples

Violative 

Samples

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed

Non-Violative 

Positives

Samples

Violative 

Samples

Annual 

Total

Imported Fish ProductsEastern Laboratory

IMPFISH_CH_E

Antifungal Dyes, 

Metals, MRM 194 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 194

Imported Fish ProductsWestern Laboratory

IMPFISH_CH_W

Nitrofurans, 

Pesticides 191 1 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 191

Imported - Metals

IMPMETALS Metals 75 -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 76

Imported - Pesticide 

IMPPESTICIDE Pesticides 119 -- 1 -- -- -- 56 -- 1 175

Imported Egg Products -

Chemistry

IMPRESEGG

Pesticides 7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 7

Imported Fresh Products -

Residue Eastern Lab 

IMPRESFR_EL

Aminoglycosides

, Avermectins, 

MRM

120 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 120
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Product Name and 

Project Code

Analytical 

Method

Normal Increased/1/ Intensified/2/

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed

NonViolative 

Positives

Samples

Violative 

Samples

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed

Non-Violative 

Positives

Samples

Violative 

Samples

Number of 

Samples 

Analyzed

Non-Violative 

Positives

Samples

Violative 

Samples

Annual 

Total

Imported Fresh Products -

Residue Western Lab 

IMPRESFR_WL

Aminoglycosides

, Beta Agonists, 

MRM, 

Nitrofurans

115 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 115

Imported Processed 

Products - Residue 

Eastern Lab IMPRESPR_EL

Avermectins 16 -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- 18

Imported Processed 

Products - Residue 

Midwestern Lab 

IMPRESPR_MWL

Sulfonamides 7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 7

Annual Total 844 2 2 3 0 0 56 0 1 903

/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. 

/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. 
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Table 8. FY 2021 Q1 Import Residue Sampling Violations by Foreign Country/Animal Class

List of FY 2021 Q1 import residue sampling violations (foreign country, specific compound, concentration, tolerance, and regulatory citation) by 

animal class.

Foreign Country Animal Class Compound Concentrations Units Tolerance Level 

Value

Authority (CFR 

Citations)

1 Argentina Mutton DDT and Metabolites * * * Not Approved/1/

2 New Zealand Beef Diazinon * * * Not Approved/1/

3 The People's 

Republic of China Siluriformes Nitrofurazone * * * Not Approved/1/

* Violative residue results were detected but not quantified.

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

PPB – parts per billion (μg/kg)