State Scientific-Research Control Institute of Veterinary Medicinal Products and Feed Additives (SCIVP) with the support of Switzerland, conducted a series of online trainings dedicated to the determination of residues of antimicrobial substances / antibiotics and other inhibitors in milk.
The online trainings took place from November 2025 to April 2026, with the aim of increasing awareness among all participants of the Raw Milk Control Programme (RMCP) and strengthening Ukraine’s capacity in the field of dairy product safety and quality.
Each event was attended by over 300 participants – representatives of milk and dairy product business operators, the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP), testing laboratories, higher education institutions, research institutions and other interested specialists.
More information about the results of the first and second online trainings, held in November and December 2025, is available via the link.
The third training, held on February 18–19, 2026, focused on laboratory control of residues of antimicrobial substances / antibiotics and other inhibitors in raw milk. Participants reviewed approaches to selecting testing methods, modern screening methods for detecting antimicrobial / antibiotic residues in milk, as well as practical aspects of their application. During the second day of the training, the main focus was on the demonstration of confirmatory methods for the quantitative determination of antimicrobial / antibiotic residues, quality control of testing, and the specifics of interpreting results. Experts also presented the requirements for testing raw milk using tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and provided practical guidance on the evaluation of the obtained results.
The fourth online training, “The System of State Control of Antimicrobial / Antibiotic Residues in Milk and Dairy Products,” took place on March 10–11. During the training, several relevant issues were addressed, in particular:
- requirements for the accreditation of laboratories for the testing of raw milk under the RMCP;
- the registration of antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products and reporting on their use in the dairy sector;
- the state monitoring programme for residues of veterinary medicinal products and contaminants in milk;
- routes by which antimicrobial substances / antibiotics and other inhibitors enter milk, as well as preventive and corrective measures;
- production control of raw milk for residues of antimicrobial substances / antibiotics and other inhibitors;
- the functioning of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).
The final fifth online training session took place on 8–9 April 2026 and focused on the topic of “Ensuring the reliability of test results”. The training covered issues relating to the validation and verification of methods for determining residues of antimicrobial substances / antibiotics and other inhibitory substances in milk, as well as practical aspects of quality assurance in laboratory testing. Particular attention was paid to issues of internal laboratory control, the interpretation of test results and decision-making procedures.
“The series of training sessions proved to be extremely valuable in terms of combining a solid scientific foundation with a practical focus. We are sincerely grateful to the organisers for the high standard of the training course and its relevance to EU requirements. I am confident that the knowledge gained will be useful for the daily routine work of all the specialists involved and will contribute to further aligning the national control system with EU standards, which are among the highest in the world and aim to ensure maximum food safety, protect consumer health and strengthen confidence in products,” said Iryna Vysotska, Deputy Local Manager of QFTP, Dairy Sector Component Coordinator of the Swiss-Ukrainian QFTP programme.
The series of trainings became an important platform for knowledge exchange and sharing practical experience. The knowledge gained will contribute to improving the quality and safety of raw milk in Ukraine, as well as to the further alignment of the national control system with the requirements of the European Union.
The events were organised with the support of Switzerland within the framework of the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland).