Quarantine Agency Receives 'Satisfactory' Rating for Three Consecutive Years in International Proficiency Test for Livestock Product Residue

Demonstrating World-Class Competence

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced on June 7 that it has received a "satisfactory" rating for three consecutive years, from 2024 to 2026, in the international proficiency test for residue analysis in livestock products. The international proficiency test is an assessment in which laboratories from around the world analyze identical samples, and the results are compared to verify the accuracy and reliability of the tests.

A representative from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency explained, "Veterinary drugs used in livestock can pose risks of toxicity and antibiotic resistance in humans, so precise inspection and management from the production stage are essential to ensure that residue levels do not exceed the established limits. Accordingly, the agency conducts annual residue testing on livestock products such as beef and pork from slaughterhouses to check whether antibiotics, veterinary drugs, or other harmful substances remain above the permissible levels."

An official from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency is conducting a genetic analysis experiment for pathogen diagnosis. Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency

Furthermore, with the introduction of the Positive List System (PLS) for livestock product residues in 2024, which has strengthened the application of residue standards, the agency participates annually in the evaluation hosted by the international proficiency testing organization, Test Veritas, to enhance its residue testing capabilities and secure reliability.

This year, the evaluation focused on antibiotic substances used for treating livestock diseases. The agency accurately analyzed the provided samples and submitted the results, all of which were rated as "satisfactory." In the previous year, 2025, the evaluation included chloramphenicol—a substance strictly prohibited by the European Union (EU) in the export of heat-treated poultry meat from Korea. The agency also verified this substance accurately, demonstrating that its testing meets field standards.

This achievement indicates that the livestock products consumed by the public are managed under an internationally recognized testing system from the production stage. In particular, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency was accredited as an "internationally recognized testing laboratory" in the livestock product residue testing sector by the Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS) in August 2024, and by passing the international proficiency test for three consecutive years, has once again demonstrated its capability in ensuring the safety of livestock product testing.

Jeong Seunggyo, Director of the Animal Disease Management Division at the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, stated, "Receiving a satisfactory rating in the international proficiency test for three consecutive years demonstrates that our national capacity for residue testing in livestock products is at the highest internationally recognized level. We will continue to strengthen a safety management system for livestock products that ensures public confidence and do our utmost to enhance the global export competitiveness of Korean livestock products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.