Multi sulfonamide screening in porcine muscle using a surface plasmon resonance biosensor

Determination of antibiotics in meat samples using analytical methodologies: A review

Antibiotics are widely used to prevent or treat some diseases in human and veterinary medicine and also as animal growth promoters. The presence of these compounds in foods derived from food-producing animals can be a risk for human health. Consequently, regulatory agencies have set maximum residue limits for antibiotics in food samples. Therefore, the development of novel methodologies for its determination in food samples is required. Specifically, the analysis and quantification of these substances in meat tissues is a challenge for the analytical chemistry research community. This is due to the complexity of the matrix and the low detection limits required by the regulatory agencies. In this sense, a comprehensive review on the development of new sample preparation treatments involving extraction, cleanup, and enrichment steps of antibiotics in meat samples in combination with sensitive and sophisticated determination techniques that have been carry out in the last years is necessary. Therefore, the aim of this work is to summarize the published methodologies for the determination of antibiotics from 2016 until the beginning of the second semester of 2020. The first part of this review includes an introduction about antibiotic families, followed by sample preparation and determination techniques applied to the different families. Finally, a detailed discussion of the current trends and the future possible perspectives in this field are also included.

Biosensors in Evaluation of Quality of Meat and Meat Products – A Review

Biosensors can find application in meat and meat products testing for safety, including microbial and other contaminants, and quality, including meat freshness, beef tenderness and pork quality defects. The available biosensors enable the evaluation of freshness, the classification of tenderness of meat products, the evaluation of the glycolysis extent and the presence of the microbial and other contaminants. Since biosensors depend on receptor types, the expansion of knowledge on metabolic transformations occurring in meat contributes to the development of new potential markers and indicators. Examples include assays for glucose, lactates, hypoxanthines, calpastastins, microbial and other contaminants in meat products, augmenting conventional methods. At the same time, biosensors rely on transducers for detection, requiring achievement in many fields including nanotechnology and optics, among others. Biosensors have potential to become a fundamental tool for monitoring and controlling safety and quality of meat products in the future. Hence the aim of the present paper is to present the current state of knowledge on the application of biosensors in meat.

New methodologies in screening of antibiotic residues in animal-derived foods: Biosensors

Antibiotics are leading medicine asset for fighting against microbial infection, but also one of the important causes of death worldwide. Many antibiotics used as therapeutics and growth promotion agents in animals can lead to antibiotic residues in animal-derived food which harm the health of people. Hence, it is vital to screen antibiotic residues in animal derived foods. Typical methods for screening antibiotic residues are based on microbiological growth inhibition and immunological analyses. However these two methods have some disadvantages, such as poor sensitive, lack of specificity and etc. Therefore, it is necessary to develop simple, more efficient and high sensitive screening methods of antibiotic residues. These assays have been introduced for the screening of numerous food samples. Biosensors are emerging methods, applied in screening antibiotic residues in animal-derived foods. Two types of biosensors, whole-cell based biosensors and surface plasmon resonance-based sensors have been extensively used. Their advantages include portability, small sample requirement, high sensitivity and good specificity over the traditional screening methods.

Biosensor: an emerging safety tool for meat industry

The meat industry associated with the health hazards like deadly pathogens, veterinary drugs, pesticide residues, toxins and heavy metals is in need of a tool to tackle the awful situation and ensure safer product to consumer. The growth in the industry, global trade scenario, stringent laws and consumer awareness has placed an extra onus on the meat industry to meet out the expectations and demands. Biosensors are the latest tool of detection in the fast growing industries including the food industry. Hence an attempt is envisaged here to review the possibility of harnessing biosensors as tool of safety to safe guard the consumer health and address safety issues in reference to the common threats of concern in the meat industry.

Biosensors, antibiotics and food

Antibiotics are medicine's leading asset for fighting microbial infection, which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. However, the misuse of antibiotics has led to the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria and the development of multiple resistant pathogens. Therefore, antibiotics are rapidly losing their antimicrobial value. The use of antibiotics in food production animals is strictly controlled by the European Union (EU). Veterinary use is regulated to prevent the spread of resistance. EU legislation establishes maximum residue limits for veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin and enforces the establishment and execution of national monitoring plans. Among samples selected for monitoring, suspected noncompliant samples are screened and then subjected to confirmatory analysis to establish the identity and concentration of the contaminant. Screening methods for antibiotic residues are typically based on microbiological growth inhibition, whereas physico-chemical methods are used for confirmatory analysis. This chapter discusses biosensors, especially whole-cell based biosensors, as emerging screening methods for antibiotic residues. Whole-cell biosensors can offer highly sensitive and specific detection of residues. Applications demonstrating quantitative analysis and specific analyte identification further improve their potential as screening methods.

Nanomaterials-based electrochemical detection of chemical contaminants

Recent advances in the development of nanomaterials-based electrochemical sensors for environmental monitoring and food safety applications are assessed.

Simultaneous detection of sulfamethazine and sulfaquinoxaline using a dual-label time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay

A dual-label time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) was introduced for the simultaneous quantification of sulfamethazine (SM2) and sulfaquinoxaline (SQX). Lanthanide (Eu(3+) and Sm(3+))-labelled antibodies were used because lanthanides have higher stabilities and narrower emission spectra than most fluorescent dyes. The sensitivity of the TRFIA for SM2 was 0.02 ng ml(-1), and the average recoveries and the intra- and inter-assay CVs were 77.2-107.6%, 5.4-10.5%, and 6.0-11.2%, respectively. The sensitivity of the TRFIA for SQX was 0.04 ng ml(-1); and the average recoveries and the intra- and inter-assay CVs were 74.1-102.8%, 4.6-10.9%, and 8.7-11.2%, respectively. The method was used to analyse chicken tissue and egg samples, and the results agreed well with the results of HPLC and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analyses, with correlation coefficients (R(2)) of 0.9415-0.9724. The TRFIA developed is a simple, fast and sensitive method for the high-throughput simultaneous screening of SM2 and SQX in edible animal tissues.

Optical biosensors for food quality and safety assurance-a review

Food quality and safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation and storage of food in ways that prevent food borne illness. Food serves as a growth medium for microorganisms that can be pathogenic or cause food spoilage. Therefore, it is imperative to have stringent laws and standards for the preparation, packaging and transportation of food. The conventional methods for detection of food contamination based on culturing, colony counting, chromatography and immunoassay are tedious and time consuming while biosensors have overcome some of these disadvantages. There is growing interest in biosensors due to high specificity, convenience and quick response. Optical biosensors show greater potential for the detection of pathogens, pesticide and drug residues, hygiene monitoring, heavy metals and other toxic substances in the food to check whether it is safe for consumption or not. This review focuses on optical biosensors, the recent developments in the associated instrumentation with emphasis on fiber optic and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based biosensors for detecting a range of analytes in food samples, the major advantages and challenges associated with optical biosensors. It also briefly covers the different methods employed for the immobilization of bio-molecules used in developing biosensors.

Disposable and integrated amperometric immunosensor for direct determination of sulfonamide antibiotics in milk

The preparation and performance of a disposable amperometric immunosensor, based on the use of a selective capture antibody and screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs), for the specific detection and quantification of sulfonamide residues in milk is reported. The antibody was covalently immobilized onto a 4-aminobenzoic acid (4-ABA) film grafted on the disposable electrode, and a direct competitive immunoassay using a tracer with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for the enzymatic labeling was performed. The amperometric response measured at -0.2 V vs the silver pseudo-reference electrode of the SPCE upon the addition of H(2)O(2) in the presence of hydroquinone (HQ) as mediator was used as transduction signal. The developed methodology showed very low limits of detection (in the low ppb level) for 6 sulfonamide antibiotics tested in untreated milk samples, and a good selectivity against other families of antibiotics residues frequently detected in milk and dairy products. These features, together with the short analysis time (30 min), the simplicity, and easy automation and miniaturization of the required instrumentation make the developed methodology a promising alternative in the development of devices for on-site analysis.

Biosensors for the analysis of microbiological and chemical contaminants in food

Increases in food production and the ever-present threat of food contamination from microbiological and chemical sources have led the food industry and regulators to pursue rapid, inexpensive methods of analysis to safeguard the health and safety of the consumer. Although sophisticated techniques such as chromatography and spectrometry provide more accurate and conclusive results, screening tests allow a much higher throughput of samples at a lower cost and with less operator training, so larger numbers of samples can be analysed. Biosensors combine a biological recognition element (enzyme, antibody, receptor) with a transducer to produce a measurable signal proportional to the extent of interaction between the recognition element and the analyte. The different uses of the biosensing instrumentation available today are extremely varied, with food analysis as an emerging and growing application. The advantages offered by biosensors over other screening methods such as radioimmunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, fluorescence immunoassay and luminescence immunoassay, with respect to food analysis, include automation, improved reproducibility, speed of analysis and real-time analysis. This article will provide a brief footing in history before reviewing the latest developments in biosensor applications for analysis of food contaminants (January 2007 to December 2010), focusing on the detection of pathogens, toxins, pesticides and veterinary drug residues by biosensors, with emphasis on articles showing data in food matrices. The main areas of development common to these groups of contaminants include multiplexing, the ability to simultaneously analyse a sample for more than one contaminant and portability. Biosensors currently have an important role in food safety; further advances in the technology, reagents and sample handling will surely reinforce this position.

A label-free and portable multichannel surface plasmon resonance immunosensor for on site analysis of antibiotics in milk samples

Techniques for immunosensing like surface plasmon resonance (SPR) may respond to the need for rapid screening methods to improve food safety. This paper describes the development of a novel portable six channel SPR biosensor based on the plasmon of gold diffraction grating surface for simultaneous multianalyte antibiotic detection in milk samples. Representative congeners from three important antibiotic families (FQs: fluoroquinolones, SAs: sulfonamides and CAP: phenicols) were chosen for this study. The chips are covalently biofunctionalized with haptenized proteins by means of a previously formed mixed self assembled monolayer (m-SAM) prepared using two types of mercapto alkyl reagents containing polyethyleneglycol (PEG) units. The samples or standards are mixed with specific polyclonal antibodies and injected into the sensor device. The detectability accomplished is very good (i.e. in buffer, enrofloxacin, 0.30 μg L(-1); sulfapyridine, 0.29 μg L(-1); and chloramphenicol, 0.26 μg L(-1)) and whole milk samples can be analyzed directly without clean-up steps, by just diluting the sample five times with water to remove non-specific interferences caused by the matrix. Although the detectability of CAP regarding the MRPL (minimum required performance limit) is slightly compromised by the dilution, the detectability accomplished by FQs and SAs was far below the maximum residue levels (MRLs) established by the European Union.

Multi-residue determination of seventeen sulfonamides and five tetracyclines in fish tissue using a multi-stage LC-ESI-MS/MS approach based on advanced mass spectrometric techniques

A strategy was newly developed to rapidly screen seventeen sulfonamides and five tetracyclines in a single run from fish tissues using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with comprehensive mass spectrometric approaches, including precursor-ion scan and data dependent scan. The product ions for precursor-ion scanning were selected by studying the MS/MS fragmentation of the analytes. All sulfonamides share the same diagnostic product ion at m/z 156 in positive MS/MS scan, while for tetracycline antibiotics the diagnostic product ion was proved to be at m/z 153.8. Further characterization of each compound was performed using a data dependent scan. Separation was performed on a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 column with a gradient elution using acetonitrile - 0.1% formic acid mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.1 mL min(-1). This approach has proven to be a powerful, highly selective, and sensitive tool for rapid screening and detection of non-targeted components in fish tissue and requires a minimum sample preparation such as one generic extraction step with MeOH:ACN 50:50 (v/v) acidified with 0.05% formic acid. The method has also been applied successfully to porcine and poultry meat. The validation of such a screening method was performed for the first time according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and satisfactory method performance characteristics were achieved.

The development of a multi-nitroimidazole residue analysis assay by optical biosensor via a proof of concept project to develop and assess a prototype test kit

An assay based on optical biosensor technology has been developed to detect a broad range of nitroimidazole drug residues and their metabolites (dimetridazole (DMZ), metronidazole (MNZ), ronidazole (RNZ), hydroxymetronidazole (HO-MNZ) and hydroxydimetridazole (HO-DMZ)) in chicken muscle. The detection limit for the procedure was determined as 0.5 ppb for DMZ and detection capabilities (CCbetas) ranged from <1 ppb for DMZ, MNZ and RNZ to <2 ppb for HO-MNZ and HO-DMZ. Intra-assay variation (n=6) was calculated as 11.6% at a concentration of 1 ppb DMZ and 4.7% at a concentration of 2 ppb DMZ. Inter-assay variation (n=3) was determined to be 14.2% at a concentration of 1 ppb DMZ and 3.5% at a concentration of 2 ppb DMZ. A prototype kit based on this assay was produced and a multinational study was undertaken to independently evaluate its performance. The resulting data showed that the kit can be implemented with little difficulty in laboratories of varying expertise and is sensitive enough to meet the standards required by international law. Feedback from this study led to the incorporation of some minor improvements to the kit. The commercial partner in the project, XenoSense Ltd., was consulted with regards to producing a commercial test kit based on the prototype assay. As feedback from the collaborative study had been positive with respect to speed, ease of use and performance of the kit, the decision to commercialise the kit was taken. In conclusion, the prototype nitroimidazole kit was shown to offer numerous advantages over existing analytical techniques.

Rapid multi-residue screening of antibiotics in muscle and kidney by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry

A new approach for simple and rapid multi-residue screening of antibiotics in muscle and kidney by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is described. Nineteen analytes from five classes of antibiotics, i.e. tetracyclines, sulfonamides, quinolones, beta-lactams and macrolides were included in the method. The recently registered drug acetylisovaleryltylosin and its metabolite 3-ortho-acetyltylosin, for which no methods of analysis have been published so far, are among the analytes. The samples were extracted by a single extraction using 70% methanol, diluted with water and injected in the LC-MS/MS. The total run time for each sample was 15 min. At least 60 samples could be analysed and evaluated in 24 h. The accuracy of the method is sufficiently good for screening of antibiotics at the maximum residue limit (MRL) in both muscle and kidney from pig, cattle, sheep, deer, horse and reindeer. Validation was performed according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. In addition, a possible way of rapid and simple confirmation of the analytes in muscle is suggested.

A simplified LC–DAD method with an RP-C12 column for routine monitoring of three sulfonamides in edible calf and pig tissue

Use of an RP-C(12) analytical column with a mobile phase at pH 4.5 enabled excellent chromatographic separation and quantification of sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamerazine (SMR), and sulfamethazine (SMZ) in edible calf and pig tissue (muscle and liver). Tissue samples were extracted with acetonitrile, centrifuged without further clean-up, and analyzed by LC-DAD. The proposed conditions are useful for a rapid and reliable screening of the SDZ, SMR, and SMZ content of calf and pig tissue at concentrations lower than the maximum residue level (MRL) (LOQ between 27 and 55 ppb). Separation of some possible SMZ metabolites should be further investigated.

Survey of the year 2005 commercial optical biosensor literature

We identified 1113 articles (103 reviews, 1010 primary research articles) published in 2005 that describe experiments performed using commercially available optical biosensors. While this number of publications is impressive, we find that the quality of the biosensor work in these articles is often pretty poor. It is a little disappointing that there appears to be only a small set of researchers who know how to properly perform, analyze, and present biosensor data. To help focus the field, we spotlight work published by 10 research groups that exemplify the quality of data one should expect to see from a biosensor experiment. Also, in an effort to raise awareness of the common problems in the biosensor field, we provide side-by-side examples of good and bad data sets from the 2005 literature.