Safety of Phibro’s virginiamycin affirmed

Poultry producers worldwide, who use virginiamycin-based animal medicines to maintain the health and welfare of their flocks, now have comprehensive European standards to support their poultry meat exports to the European Union.
The European Commission, known for its stringent approach to food safety, has established Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for virginiamycin, recognizing the safety of meat from poultry that has been treated with up to 4 times the 20 grams per ton commonly used in international markets. Phibro Animal Health Corporation has conducted extensive studies to support the establishment of the MRLs, which are used to ensure that no unsafe residue is allowed in meat for human consumption.
“These standards represent a significant step forward by adding another safeguard for consumers and removing any concern for producers that the use of virginiamycin-based animal medicines could limit export options to the European Union,” said Larry Miller, Phibro’s president, Animal Health. “Safety is our top priority and virginiamycin has a track record of safety that spans more than four decades.”
Virginiamycin is registered for use in 32 countries. It has been an effective tool to protect animal health for more than 40 years in the U.S. and for 35 years in Brazil.
The European Commission published the MRLs for virginiamycin on Sept. 3 in the Official Journal of the European Union, and the regulation comes into effect 60 days after publication. The European Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use recommended the standards and the European Commission adopted them without modification.