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Detection of beta 2-agonists in milk replacer
F Caloni1, M Montana, C Pasqualucci
1Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Milan, Italy.
Veterinary Research Communications
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Illegally administered beta-2 agonist drugs in calf milk replacer can be detected using ELISA screening and confirmed with HPLC-MS. This analytical system effectively identifies these illegal growth promoters at low concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pharmacology
- Food Safety Analysis
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Beta-2 agonist drugs are illicitly used as growth promoters in animal feed.
- Detection of these substances in milk replacer is crucial for food safety and regulatory compliance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an analytical system for detecting beta-2 agonists (clenbuterol, salbutamol, terbutaline, mabuterol) in calf milk replacer.
- To validate screening and confirmation methods for identifying illegal drug use in feed.
Main Methods:
- Initial screening using competitive ELISA tests targeting specific antibody groups.
- Sample preparation involving acetonitrile precipitation and filtration.
- Confirmation using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) after Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE).
Main Results:
- ELISA detected beta-2 agonists at concentrations as low as 50 ppb (clenbuterol, mabuterol, terbutaline) and 500 ppb (salbutamol).
- HPLC-MS confirmed the presence of these drugs with high recovery rates (84-90.2%) and low detection limits (250 ng/ml to 2.5 µg/ml).
- The methods demonstrated effectiveness in identifying simultaneous contamination by multiple beta-2 agonists.
Conclusions:
- The developed analytical system, combining ELISA screening and HPLC-MS confirmation, is effective for detecting illegal beta-2 agonist use in calf milk replacer.
- This method allows for reliable identification of these drugs at the low concentrations employed for illicit growth promotion.