§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what levels of(a) dichlorvos, (b) carithaxanthin and (c) oxytetracycline have been found in salmon in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months. [141183]
§ Ms QuinThe Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) operates a statutory national surveillance scheme, which implements Directive 96/23. Under the scheme a wide range of home-produced animals and animal products, including farmed fish, are analysed to monitor residue levels for a large number of veterinary medicines and environmental contaminants. These include dichlorvos and oxytetracycline.
In 1999, 22 samples of farmed salmon were tests for organophosphates and 160 samples were tested for tetracyclines. Up to 11 September 2000, 16 samples of farmed salmon have been tested for organophosphates and 122 samples tested for tetracyclines. No residues of organophosphates or tetracyclines were detected. Results of completed analyses are published on a quarterly basis in the VMD's Medicines Act Veterinary Information Service (MAVIS) and in the VMD's annual report.
Canthaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment permitted as an additive in feed for salmon and trout. We do not have data for levels of canthaxanthin found in salmon in the United Kingdom for the last 12 months. However, in its report of June 1997 the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food stated that a representative level of the substance in salmon would be 0.1mg canthaxanthin per 100g of fish.