Chloramphenicol

Fera’s food safety experts can detect and quantify Chloramphenicol across a wide range of food matrices, including poultry, game, seafood, fish, red meat, offal, honey, eggs and milk, to a reporting limit of half the assigned MRPL value. Standard turnaround is 10 working days, with rapid options available.

Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic active against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Although historically used in both human and veterinary medicine, it is prohibited for use in food-producing animals in the European Union (EU). A Reference Point for Action (RPA) is established under Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1871, strengthening the need for effective due diligence monitoring.

In addition to potential residues arising from illicit treatment, Chloramphenicol may also enter the food chain through its presence in feed, enzyme preparations, or natural formation by the soil bacterium Streptomyces venezuelae. These pathways can contribute to consumer exposure and underline the need for sensitive and reliable analytical testing.

Fera’s Chloramphenicol method also screens for Thiamphenicol (for which MRLs are established for all food-producing species) and Florfenicol (non-amine, unmetabolised).

The analytical method is based on sample extraction followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Methods are validated in accordance with Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, and the analysis is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Confirmatory Analysis

Where required, confirmatory analysis will be charged at the same rate as the primary test. We will contact you before proceeding. Results will be delivered within 10 working days of your instruction.