Clenbuterol (Hansard, 2 March 1993)

§ Mr. Gummer

Surveillance for residues of clenbuterol in meat is carried out under two complementary programmes. The first is the national surveillance scheme for residues in meat under which randomly selected samples are collected from slaughterhouses and from farms. The second, co-ordinated by the working party on veterinary residues in animal products, is directed at retail and wholesale premises. It covers both imported and domestic supplies of meat.

In 1992, 1,074 samples were taken in Great Britain and analysed for clenbuterol under both programmes. Two samples taken were found to contain clenbuterol, at concentrations of 0.4 µg/kg and 3.3 µg/kg respectively. Neither of these residues would have been likely to have posed any threat to human health, but one of them was above the United Kingdom's statutory maximum residue limit of 0.5µg/kg. It has not been possible to establish whether the samples found to contain clenbuterol originated in Great Britain or elsewhere, but under the NSS, which is confined to domestically produced animals and meat, no positives have been identified from samples taken in Great Britain since testing for clenbuterol began in August 1989.

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Nevertheless, because of the evidence of abuse of clenbuterol outside Great Britain, we have concluded it would be prudent to step up our surveillance programme in 1993. Under the NSS some 1,335 samples will therefore be collected from randomly selected farms and slaughterhouses in Great Britain and tested for the presence of clenbuterol. This is 635 more than in 1992. Surveillance at retail outlets under the WPVR programme is similarly being extended in 1993. A total of 384 samples of ox and calf livers will be collected and tested for the presence of clenbuterol. This is 181 more than in 1992, but includes for the first time a check on calf liver.

A new sampling programme for imported meat will also commence in 1993. A total of 550 samples of imported bovine tissues are planned to be collected under this programme in the first year, compared with 175 in 1992, and these will also be analysed for residues of clenbuterol.