If antibiotic residues are detected in a milk shipment, which action is taken?

• A. Milk is discarded and farm-level samples are tested to identify the source
• B. Milk is processed and sold anyway
• C. Only the affected part is discarded and rest kept
• D. Regulatory action is not taken

Answer: (A)

When antibiotic residues are detected in a milk shipment, the immediate priority is to protect consumers, so the milk is discarded. At the same time, farm-level samples are tested to trace back and identify the source of the contamination, so corrective actions can be taken to prevent recurrence. This combination—removing the unsafe product and pinpointing the origin for investigation—ensures contamination is contained and regulatory steps can be followed. Options that involve processing and selling the milk anyway, keeping only part of the shipment, or taking no action would fail to protect public health and ignore the need for traceability and enforcement.