Rapid and semiautomated method for the analysis of veterinary drug residues in honey based on turbulent-flow liquid chromatography coupled to ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (TFC-UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS)

Develop an external standard method for high-flux determination of veterinary drug residues liquid milk without solid phase extraction

To get rid of the singularity of the detection of veterinary drug residues in liquid milk, a high-throughput determination was developed for 126 VDRs in 17 categories in liquid milk based on the one-step extraction coupled with LC-HRMS (UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS). The results showed that adding 2.5 mL of 0.1 mol/L Na2EDTA-McIlvaine in acetonitrile-methanol extractant (50:50, V/V) could effectively improve the response intensity of veterinary drug residues in liquid milk, reduce the matrix effect and eliminate the need for expensive SPE purification. The established external standard quantitative method has a LOD of 0.01-0.30 μg/L for all categories of veterinary drug residues, good linearity in the concentration range of LOQ of 0.03-1.00 μg/L, and correlation coefficients (r2) were all greater than 0.995. The spike recoveries at all three levels were between 80.30% and 119.95%. The positive detection rate of this method in 128 actual samples was 8.59%.

Multiresidues Multiclass Analytical Methods for Determination of Antibiotics in Animal Origin Food: A Critical Analysis

Veterinary drugs are widely used to prevent and treat diseases. The European Union has forbidden the use of antibiotics as growth promoters since 2006. Its abusive use leads to the presence of antibiotic residues (AR) in foods of animal origin which is associated with antibiotic resistance. The monitoring of AR in food intended for human consumption is of utmost importance to assure Food Safety. A systematic bibliographic review was carried out on the analytical methodologies, published in 2013, for the determination of AR in foods of animal origin. The food processing effect in the AR detected in animal products is also addressed. However, there is a preference for multiresidues multiclass methods, i.e., methodologies that allow determining simultaneously different classes of antibiotics, which is still a challenge for researchers. The wide diversity of physico-chemical properties of these drugs is an obstacle to achieving excellent analytical performance for a vast number of molecules analyzed concurrently. New techniques in sample preparation continue to be developed in order to obtain a compromise between good recoveries and extracts without interferences (clean extracts). The most widely used analytical methodology for the determination of AR is liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. However, the current trend is focused on the use of powerful high-resolution MS detectors such as Time of Flight and Orbitrap with modern chromatographic systems. Cooking time and temperature control are the key processing conditions influencing the reduction of AR in foods.

Validated Screening Method for 81 Multiclass Veterinary Drug Residues in Food via Online-Coupling High-Throughput Planar Solid-Phase Extraction to High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Orbitrap Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Current screening capabilities for veterinary drugs (VDs) in foods are limited, requiring time-consuming and expensive trace-level analyses. For the first time, a high-throughput planar solid-phase extraction (HTpSPE) cleanup, controlled by UV/vis/FLD imaging, was developed for screening 81 VDs from 6 different groups (glucocorticoids, anthelmintics, antiparasitics, coccidiostats, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibiotics) in 4 different matrices (honey, pig muscle, cow milk, and chicken eggs). It consumed 13 times less solvent and was more eco-friendly and 5 times faster than routine methods. The VDs were automatically eluted using the autoTLC-LC-MS interface, separated online on a high-performance liquid chromatography column via a 10-min gradient, and detected by Orbitrap high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. The screening method was validated according to the latest European Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/808. Most VDs except penicillins and cephalosporins were detected at the 5-μg/kg level in pig muscle, cow milk, and chicken eggs and 25-μg/kg level in honey.

Environmentally friendly analysis of sulphonamides in Brazilian honey through automated and miniaturised sample preparation coupled with LC-MS/MS

Increased use of environmentally friendly practices has become a trend in science because of the current awareness regarding climate change and related issues. Similarly for analytical chemistry, considering the development of greener methods for reducing the use of reagents and samples and also toxic waste generation. To meet such goals, automation, and miniaturisation of sample preparation-a well-recognised laborious and time-consuming analytical step-are two promising strategies. This work associates the greener aspects of miniaturisation and the performance of automated sample preparation. Therefore, we proposed an analytical method using a miniaturised extraction column for pre-concentrating sulphamerazine, sulphamethazine, sulphamethoxazole, sulphadimethoxine, sulphathiazole, and sulphachlorpyridazine from honey and cleaning-up the samples. Several variables were optimised: extractive phase, loading flow, loading phase, and loading time. Under optimised conditions, the method showed adequate linearity between 5.0 and 60 ng g^-1 with R > 0.99, and also good selectivity and recovery (114.6-124.1%) which are acceptable according to Brazilian legislation. Intra and inter-day precision were in the range 3.0-5.0%. Although sulphonamides were detected in one of the eight commercial honey samples, the value was below the established MRL. The method showed efficiency, while also exhibiting greener characteristics resulting from miniaturisation and automation, representing a promising environmentally friendly alternative for conventional sample preparation methods.

A REVIEW ON DETERMINATION OF THE VETERINARY DRUG RESIDUES IN FOOD PRODUCTS

In this paper, we discuss veterinary medicine and its applications in the food field as well as its risk to the health of humans and animals by the residues. We review how the veterinary residues enter and cause some detrimental effects. We also mention two techniques to determine the residue of veterinary medication that existed in food originating from animals, including classic and advanced techniques. Finally, we discuss the potential of various developed methods compared to some traditional techniques.

Veterinary Drug Residues in Animal-Derived Foods: Sample Preparation and Analytical Methods

Veterinary drugs are used to treat livestock and aquatic diseases and thus are introduced into animal-derived foods, endangering consumer health and safety. Antibiotic resistance is rapidly becoming a major worldwide problem, and there has been a steady increase in the number of pathogens that show multi-drug resistance. Illegal and excessive use of veterinary drugs in animals and aquaculture has serious adverse effects on humans and on all other environmental organisms. It is necessary to develop simple extraction methods and fast analytical methods to effectively detect veterinary drug residues in animal-derived foods. This review summarizes the application of various sample extraction techniques and detection and quantification methods for veterinary drug residues reported in the last decade (2010-2020). This review compares the advantages and disadvantages of various extraction techniques and detection methods and describes advanced methods, such as those that use electrochemical biosensors, piezoelectric biosensors, optical biosensors, and molecularly imprinted polymer biosensors. Finally, the future prospects and trends related to extraction methods, detection methods and advanced methods for the analysis of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived foods are summarized.

Multiclass and multiresidue screening of veterinary drugs and pesticides in infant formula using Quadrupole-Orbitrap MS with PRM scan mode

A multiclass and multiresidue method for screening veterinary drugs and pesticides in infant formula was developed and validated using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to Quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). A total of 49 veterinary drugs and pesticides investigated belong to 11 classes including antivirals, anticoccidials, macrolides, pyrethroids, insecticides, sulfonamides, beta-agonists, sedatives, thyreostats, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and other pharmacologically active substances. A generic sample preparation and highly selective acquisition mode of parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) were deliberately incorporated to perform efficient screening analysis. As a result, the screening target concentrations of the analytes varied from 1 to 500 μg/kg with ≤5% of false compliant rate as specified in Decision 2002/657/EC for screening analysis. The average recoveries ranged from 40.7 to 124.9% as well as the relative standard deviations from 4.2 to 26.6%, respectively. The matrix effects and interferences were effectively controlled by integrated application of dispersive solid phase extraction, PRM scan mode, and matrix-matched standard calibration. The proposed method will be helpful to provide applicable strategy for screening residues in infant formula with surveillance purpose.

Antibiotic Residues in Food: Extraction, Analysis, and Human Health Concerns

The abundant use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic residues in frequently consumed foods. Residual antibiotics in food may have adverse effects on humans by directly causing disease via low-dose exposure and indirect harm via antibiotic resistance. However, the current methods for antibiotic extraction and analysis in food have not yet formed a uniform standard, and only a few data exist regarding the residual antibiotic condition in various types of foods. Hence, we review the literature since 2008 to summarize analytical methods and residue status of antibiotics in food. Then, we discuss the causes of antibiotic residues in food and the possible hazards to human health. We hope that the joint efforts of the scientific community and political circles will lead to the formation of a unified standard for the extraction and analysis of antibiotics in food, to allow for comprehensive monitoring of residual antibiotics and ensure human health.

Recent advances of online coupling of sample preparation techniques with ultra high performance liquid chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography

Ultra high performance liquid chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography techniques are favored because of their high efficiency and fast analysis speed. Although many sample preparation techniques have been coupled with common liquid chromatography online, the online coupling of sample preparation with the two popular chromatography techniques have gained increasing attention owing to the increasing requirements of efficiency and sensitivity. In this review, we have discussed and summarized the recent advances of the online coupling of sample preparation with ultra high performance liquid chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography techniques. The main sample preparation techniques that have been coupled with ultra high performance liquid chromatography online are solid-phase extraction and in-tube solid-phase microextraction, while solid-phase extraction and supercritical fluid extraction are the main techniques that have been coupled with supercritical fluid chromatography online. Especially, the strategies for online coupling of sample preparation with chromatography techniques were summarized. Typical applications and growing trends of the online coupling techniques were also discussed in detail. With the increasing demands of improving the efficiency, throughput, and analytical capability toward complex samples of the analysis methods, online coupling of sample preparation with chromatography techniques will acquire further development.

Determination of rodenticides and related metabolites in rabbit liver and biological matrices by liquid chromatography coupled to Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry

An analytical method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of rodenticides (bromadiolone, brodifacoum, difenacoum, chlorophacinone, diphacinone, coumachlor and warfarin) in liver matrix. Different extraction conditions were tested, obtaining the best results when the "dilute and shoot" method (acidified acetonitrile as extraction solvent) and a clean-up step with primary secondary amine (PSA) were used. The optimized method was validated, obtaining recoveries ranging from 60 to 120%. Repeatability and reproducibility were evaluated obtaining values lower than 20%, except for brodifacoum at 10μg/kg. Limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.1 to 0.5μg/kg, except for brodifacoum, which was 100μg/kg. Six liver samples were analyzed and diphacinone and chlorophacinone were detected in three samples at concentrations ranging from 4μg/kg to 13μg/kg. Moreover a retrospective screening of rodenticide metabolites in those samples and in animal forensic samples was developed based on Orbitrap capabilities. Brodifacoum was detected in three samples, and warfarin alcohol, which is a metabolite of warfarin, was also detected in one sample.

An overview of multidimensional liquid phase separations in food analysis

Food safety is a priority public health concern that demands analytical methods capable to detect low concentration level of contaminants (e.g. pesticides and antibiotics) in different food matrices. Due to the high complexity of these matrices, a sample preparation step is in most cases mandatory to achieve satisfactory results being usually tedious, lengthy, and prone to the introduction of errors. For this reason, many research groups have focused efforts on the development of online systems capable to do the cleanup, concentration, and separation steps at once through multidimensional separation techniques (MDS). Among several possible setups, the most popular are the multidimensional chromatographic techniques (MDC) that consist in combining more than one mobile and/or stationary phase to provide a satisfactory separation. In the present review, we selected a variety of multidimensional separation systems used for food contaminant analysis in order to discuss the instrumentation aspects, the concept of orthogonality, column approaches used in these systems, and new materials that can be used in these columns. Selected classes of contaminants present in food matrices are introduced and discussed as example of the potential applications of multidimensional liquid phase separation techniques in food safety.

Recent approaches for on-line analysis of residues and contaminants in food matrices: A review

This review highlights recent developments for on-line determination of residues and contaminants in complex matrices such as food samples. This involves the on-line coupling of a sample preparation technique (as the first "dimension") with a chromatographic system (second "dimension"), usually followed by mass spectrometry. Although frequently treated as quite distinct techniques, the role of all devices utilized as the first dimension in this approach aims to decrease the sample complexity while eliminating as much as possible the matrix contaminants to facilitate the qualitative and quantitative determination of the compounds of interest. This review will focus on the following techniques as the first dimension: (i) on-line solid-phase extraction; (ii) in-tube solid-phase microextraction; (iii) matrix solid-phase dispersion; and (iv) turbulent flow chromatography. The second dimension is usually performed using a chromatographic column to isolate the analyte(s) of interest for further mass spectrometry determination. A description of the basis of this on-line approach and its distinct set up possibilities is presented, which is followed by a critical review of the literature covering this subject in the last ten years (focusing on the last five years) with emphasis on the analysis of residue and contaminants in food samples.

New Approach for Differentiating Sessile and Pedunculate Oak: Development of a LC-HRMS Method To Quantitate Triterpenoids in Wood

Oak aging is a crucial step in winemaking during which the organoleptic properties of wine are modified. Various parameters affect the chemical composition of oak wood including botanical origin, which has been previously shown to be a determinant factor. This study focused on the development of a LC-HRMS method to assay four recently discovered taste-active triterpenes (three sweet and one bitter). The method was applied to evaluate the effect of oak species (Quercus petraea and Quercus robur) on the concentration of these molecules in wood. The results showed that sessile oak was richer in sweet triterpenes and poorer in the bitter one than pedunculate oak, with high interindividual variations within species. Furthermore, a triterpenoid index was calculated to reveal the triterpenoid composition of oak wood. This index appears to be a promising tool for the unambiguous discrimination of oak species and could offer new insights into oak wood selection by coopers and the monitoring of oak aging by winemakers.

Fast analysis of polyphenols in royal jelly products using automated TurboFlow™-liquid chromatography-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry

This study describes the development of a novel, simple and fast analytical method for the detection and quantification of polyphenols in royal jelly products, using an in-house database containing more than 50 compounds. The extraction method consisted of sample dilution, followed by a fast on-line system composed of turbulent flow chromatography (TurboFlow™) coupled to liquid chromatography (LC)-Exactive-Orbitrap analyzer. The total run time was 18min, including automated extraction, analytical chromatography and re-equilibration. The method was validated obtaining limits of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 10 to 150μg/kg. The linearity range was up to 2000μg/L and determination coefficients (R²) were higher than 0.994. Adequate recoveries were obtained at three concentration levels (500, 1000 and 2000μg/kg). This method was applied to the analysis of nine samples and the concentration of polyphenols ranged from 14 (apigenin) to 18,936μg/kg (ferulic acid).

A direct competitive assay-based aptasensor for sensitive determination of tetracycline residue in honey

Tetracycline (TC) is a common antibacterial agent used for prevention and control of animal diseases. The increasing concern about TC residue in food demands high-performing analytical techniques for food quality assessment. Biosensors represent a promising tool for food safety analysis as they can fulfill some demand that the conventional methods do not attain. In this study, a novel colorimetric aptasensor was developed for sensitive detection of TC in honey. The aptasensor was based on a modified direct competitive enzyme-linked aptamer assay (dc-ELAA) scheme utilizing a 76 mer single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamer selected by Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX). The optimized aptasensor showed a good limit of detection (LOD of 0.0978 ng/mL), a wide linear range (0.1-1000 ng/mL) toward TC in honey, with good recoveries (92.09-109.7%) in TC-spiked honey, and was compared with an indirect competitive assay-based aptasensor and validated with a standard ELISA. The biosensor based on dc-ELAA with good limit of detection and simplicity can be applied for high-throughput detection of TC in food.

Detection of harmful residues in honey using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) has been applied for the detection and discrimination of harmful chemical residues in honey. Three antibiotics (sulfapyridine, sulfathiazole, and tetracycline) and two acaricides (coumaphos and amitraz) were characterized in the THz frequency regime between 0.5 THz and 6.0 THz. All chemical substances present distinct absorption peaks. THz transmission measurements of honey mixtures with antibiotics have been performed, revealing that antibiotic residues are traceable in highly absorptive food products, such as honey, at concentrations down to 1% weight percentage, thanks to their THz fingerprints. Moreover, multiple antibiotics were identified in their mixture with honey, pointing out the potential of the technique to be used in the near future as a fast, real-time technique for detecting and discriminating multi-residues strictly related to food safety issues.