U. S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
FDA Prime Connection

  HHS:PHS:FDA:CFSAN:OFP:DCP:MSB
 
                                        200 "C" Street, S. W.
                                        Washington, DC   20204
 
                                        M-I-97-1
                                        January 8, 1997
 
  TO:     All Regional Food and Drug Directors
          Attn: Regional Milk Specialists
 
  FROM:   Joseph M. Smucker, Chief
          Milk Safety Branch (HFS-626
 
  SUBJECT:     Implementation of IMS-a-34
 
  IMS-a-34 (under date of July 12, 1996) set January 1, 1997, as the effective date for
  implementation of proposal #211 from the 1995 National Conference on Interstate Milk
  Shipments.  This proposal required that any test performed to fulfill the provisions of
  Sections 6 and 7 of the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) for  testing raw and
  pasteurized milk for drug residues must be capable of detecting at least 4 of 6 beta-lactam
  drugs.  This effective date was established and announced with ample time given for
  conversion to an accepted test; therefore, there is no grace period.
 
  The January 1, 1997, effective date also included time for the evaluation of the Difco
  BSDA.  However, at this time, the Difco BSDA is not in conformance with IMS-a-34 and
  is no longer an acceptable test for official monitoring of raw and pasteurized milk for drug
  residues.
 
  Laboratories that were using this test must now be using an accepted test.  Certification
  for acceptable test(s) may be obtained through a Milk Laboratory Evaluation Officer
  (LEO) by a successful on-site evaluation or through successful analysis of beta-lactam
  split samples.
 
  Testing for drug residue(s) in compliance with the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 of the
  PMO may be accomplished by use of any accepted Appendix N test for raw milk or an
  accepted Section 6 test for raw and pasteurized milk.
 
  Copies of this memorandum are enclosed for distribution to District Milk Specialists, state
  milk regulatory agencies, State Laboratory Evaluation Officers and State Milk Rating
  Officers in your region.  This memorandum is also available on the FDA Prime Connection
  computer bulletin board system, and should be widely distributed to representatives of the
  milk industry and other interested parties.
 
                    Signature,
 
 
 
                    _____________________
                    Joseph M. Smucker, Chief
                    Milk Safety Branch