Summary According to worldwide reference organizations, drugs residues in animal products are risk factors in public health and economic limit on any country. Besides, quality requirements demanded in exported food are higher with development of more sensible analytical methods. Promotion of native products to international markets is fundamental in Colombian policies; indeed it has been necessary reforming procedures, generating new regulations, and renewing technological capacity to control drug residues in food of animal origin in order to fulfill requirements demanded from interested countries. This review exposes several aspects related to drug residues on animal tissues: national and international regulations, effects on human health, analytical methods for detect them, risk assessment, control and current research in Colombia.