Validated for both seafood and honey, Randox Food Diagnostics is the first to bring to offer a specific ELISA test for Oxytetracyclines following a spate of import refusals for shrimp and other aquaculture products.
Oxytetracycline is one of the most common antibiotics used in aquaculture. In June alone the Food & Drug Administration turned away 126 entry lines of seafood products, and within this figure a remarkable 25 were shrimp shipments refused due to contamination with banned veterinary drugs.
This represented the highest monthly figure of shrimp entry lines refused for antibiotic contamination since February 2011. This problem has been on the increase, with 2012 seeing 53 entry lines of shrimp refused for antibiotic contamination, whilst in 2013 the equivalent figure was 73.
In recent years, Tetracyclines have been used in apiculture for the treatment of bacterial brood infections which could result in the presence of residues in honey.
Randox Food Diagnostics Global Business Manager David Ferguson said: “Buying trends over the last few years show that Oxytetracyclines are becoming an ever more popular variant within the drug class.
“Therefore, the needs of the residue screening market change and with one of the largest test menus on offer, Randox Food Diagnostics is always keen to stay ahead of the competition. As a high quality product our Oxytetracycline ELISA has an excellent sensitivity of 3.92ppb for honey and 20ppb for fish and shrimp tissue.”
“Our ground-breaking BioChip Array Technology multiplexing system, the Evidence Investigator screens for Oxytetracyclines, however a specific ELISA test provides a cost-effective lower volume solution for a wide variety of laboratories, and with sales already recorded we are delighted to be first to market.”
