Lidocaine in animal feed 2026: what livestock farmers and veterinarians must do

Key data

Livestock farmers and veterinarians who use lidocaine as an anesthetic in food-producing animals have a new and enforceable obligation from April 23, 2026: to respect the maximum residue limit (MRL) set for this substance in animal-origin food products. The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/892 amends Regulation (EU) No. 37/2010 to include the official classification of lidocaine with its corresponding MRL.

This regulation does not require any additional legislative steps in Spain or any other Member State: it is directly applicable from its entry into force.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation (EU) No. 37/2010 is the European framework that classifies all pharmacologically active substances used in veterinary medicine and sets their maximum residue limits in animal-origin foods. Until now, lidocaine did not have a specific classification in that regulation.

The new Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/892 addresses this gap: it classifies lidocaine and introduces its MRL in the annex to Regulation (EU) No. 37/2010. This means that any animal-origin food product (meat, milk, eggs, honey or others) from animals treated with lidocaine must comply with that limit at the time of marketing.

Lidocaine is a local anesthetic widely used in veterinary procedures: minor surgeries, castrations, sutures and other interventions in cattle, pigs, sheep and other food-producing species. Its use is clinically justified, but residues remaining in animal tissues after treatment can reach the consumer if the appropriate waiting time is not respected.

Economic and operational impact

The most direct impact of this regulation is operational: it requires more rigorous management of lidocaine treatment records and withdrawal periods before slaughter, milking or egg or honey collection.

• Risk of product withdrawal: If an official control detects that lidocaine residues exceed the set MRL, affected products can be withdrawn from the market. This involves direct loss of the value of those products and possible costs for managing food waste.
• Administrative sanctions: Non-compliance with the MRL can result in administrative sanctions according to food safety regulations applicable in each Member State.
• Traceability costs: Livestock farms must strengthen the documentary record of veterinary treatments with lidocaine to be able to demonstrate compliance during an inspection.
• Impact on the supply chain: Slaughterhouses and meat industries that receive animals from farms using lidocaine must ensure that their suppliers comply with withdrawal periods, as they are the last link before the consumer.

Who does it affect?

• Livestock farmers and farm operators: Any farm with cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses or other food-producing species that uses lidocaine on its animals.
• Field veterinarians and large animal clinic veterinarians: Responsible for prescribing and applying lidocaine, and for informing the farmer about the mandatory withdrawal period.
• Animal-origin food industry: Slaughterhouses, cutting rooms, dairy industries, egg and honey producers that receive raw materials from animals that may have been treated.
• Health control authorities: Official veterinary services and control laboratories that perform residue analysis in animal-origin foods. They now have a clear legal basis to act when lidocaine MRL is exceeded.

Practical example

A beef cattle farmer performs a minor surgical intervention on several calves using lidocaine as a local anesthetic. The veterinarian applies the treatment and records the date and dose in the farm's treatment register.

From that moment on, the farmer is obliged to respect the withdrawal period established for lidocaine before sending those animals to the slaughterhouse. If the farmer sends the animals before that period expires, lidocaine residues in the meat may exceed the MRL set by Regulation (EU) 2026/892.

If the MRL is exceeded at the slaughterhouse or in a subsequent control, the consequences are:

• Withdrawal of affected meat products from the market.
• Opening of an administrative penalty file against the farm operator.
• Possible reputational impact with the purchasing industry.

Prevention is simple: record each lidocaine treatment, note the end date of the withdrawal period, and do not move animals to slaughter until that period has ended.

What should companies do now?

1. Review lidocaine use protocols on the farm: Confirm with the responsible veterinarian what the withdrawal period is for each species and type of product (meat, milk, etc.) and ensure it is documented.
2. Update the veterinary treatment register: Record all lidocaine applications with date, dose, treated animals and end date of the withdrawal period. This register is the main proof of compliance during an inspection.
3. Communicate with logistics and shipping managers: Ensure that no one on the farm sends treated animals to the slaughterhouse or directs their production into the food chain before the withdrawal period expires.
4. Verify with suppliers (if you are an industry or slaughterhouse): Request documentary confirmation from supplier farms that the animals delivered comply with the withdrawal periods of all veterinary treatments applied, including lidocaine.
5. Consult with the official or farm veterinarian: If you have doubts about the specific MRL set or about the withdrawal periods applicable to your herd, request specific veterinary advice. Non-compliance does not allow for a claim of ignorance.