market news - ractopamine testing PAGE 10
Tighter controls on ractopamine in pork and beef products
Russia announced in December 2012, that beef, pork and turkey imports would be halted, unless the meat is certified to be free of ractopamine. Since then, the European Union and China have imposed import restrictions on certain meat products.
What is ractopamine? Testing developments Food additive ractopamine, is a beta- To meet the needs of meat producers, agonist that increases protein synthesis importers and exporters, SGS has in mature animals, to increase muscle developed ractopamine level testing growth and improve feed efficiency, for meat tissue and feed products. thereby reducing the number of days Ractopamine testing uses High animals spend on feed. Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), with fluorescence, based on Elanco methodology, for both medicated Why the concern? levels and residues in feed, with a limit High levels of ractopamine consumption of quantification of 2.5g/ton for feed. have been linked to cardiovascular Using in house validation, and the USDA effects and behavioural changes in both Food Safety and Inspection Service humans and pigs. Ractopamine is not for CLG-AGON1.03 method, HPLC-MS/MS use in humans for any medical purposes. (tandem mass spectrometry) is used Ractopamine is the active ingredient to achieve even greater sensitivity in in products marketed as Paylean™ determining ractopamine levels in both for swine and Optaflexx™ for cattle, meat tissue and liver with a level of by Elanco Animal Health, a division of detection of 0.5 ppb. Eli Lilly. Its use as a growth promoter In the USA, SGS Brookings also has is currently allowed in 25 countries for ractopamine in pig and cattle tissue, extensive knowledge and understanding worldwide. in an effort to improve the trade of meat of matters relating to drug residue Following imports of meat products with containing the growth substance. Codex issues in feed, and can provide testing to unacceptable levels of ractopamine in regulation allows no more than 10 parts ensure the safety of livestock products. 2012, from several countries the use per billion (ppb) for muscle cuts of beef Besides Ractopamine, this laboratory has of ractopamine is now restricted in the and pork. The USA’s Food and Drug the ability to detect other residue levels Russian Federation. Its presence in meat Administration’s limit is 30 ppb for beef of antibiotics and contaminants. products, in any quantity above 0.1- and 50 ppb for pork. Other SGS laboratories in our global 1mg/kg, is not acceptable and any such China has imposed import restrictions network, including Shanghai, have products will be destroyed, recycled or, on meats containing ractopamine. There ractopamine testing capabilities. where possible, re-exported. is currently no applicable legislation on ractopamine, but in 2011, six Food safety expertise Market impacts government departments issued a joint As a world-leader in food safety, we have The USA exports about $500 million announcement banning its production an international, multi-lingual network of worth of beef and pork to Russia and sales of ractopamine. Consequently, specialists ready to share their expertise each year. For producers, processors, meat producers and consumers are and help you raise standards. We can importers and exporters of animal-based increasingly paying attention as to ensure that your meat products meet food products and feed, the risk of whether their products contain this illegal local and international regulations. failing to comply with legally permitted animal feed additive. maximum limits can affect not only In Brazil, the use of ractopamine is Angela Carlson a brand but profits in the USA and prohibited in cattle. It can be used in Analytical Laboratory Manager internationally. pork, unless it is destined for countries SGS North America, Inc. [email protected] The Codex Alimentarius Commission has like Russia, which have banned this t +1 877 692 7611 set new maximum residue limits (MRLs) additive.