A variety of antibiotics and other drugs are approved for use in farm animals, including dairy cattle. There are concerns over the possibility of drug residues in dairy foods, such as fluid milk. At present in the United States, the current requirement is to test every bulk milk pick-up tanker before it is received in a milk plant. However, the testing for drug residues is limited to certain drugs of the Beta lactam antibiotic class only. The National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) Drug Residue Committee has requested that FDA perform a risk assessment on potential drug residues in milk and milk products produced in the United States to re-evaluate the drugs that FDA should require testing for in the bulk milk. This symposium will describe the potential drug residue concerns in milk and milk products and the approach FDA is utilizing in analyzing this issue. The Drug Residues in Milk Risk Assessment Work Group consists of scientific and dairy experts from FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) working together to develop a risk assessment on drug residues in raw milk and milk products.

Presentations