[Maximum residue levels (MRL's) of veterinary medicines in relation to food safety. MRL's really do matter--the Benzaprocpen case].

The importance of veterinary medicines and especially of antimicrobial agents is shown, not only as beneficial compounds for animal health and animal welfare but as risks as well, being potential sources of residues in food of animal origin, when after administration of veterinary medicines to the animals the withdrawal time in relation to the maximum residue limit (MRL) is not taken into account. Health for men and animal is of utmost importance and the quality of food is considered as an important health factor. Data are presented from a report, not made public previously, concerning a study dealing with plasma kinetics and forming of residues in young pigs of a long acting penicillin Benzaprocpen, which was formerly used in the Netherlands quite often in piglets with arthritis. Ten weeks after the last injection with these depot compounds at all injection sites penicillin G residues were present in quantities much greater than the allowed maximum residue limit of 50 micrograms/kg for benzylpenicillin. As a consequence it is impossible to use any longer this specific veterinary medicine in food producing animals and thus MRL's do really matter.