Penicillins/Cephalosporins

Penicillins and cephalosporins are broad-spectrum antibiotics often used to treat bacterial infections in a wide variety of food-producing animals. They are commonly used in the treatment of respiratory disease in ruminants, pigs and horses, as well as foot rot in cattle and mastitis in dairy cattle.

Veterinary drug residues, when consumed in significant quantities, can result in physiological effects in humans. As a result, concerns regarding residue levels in food have led to a need for analytical methodologies capable of screening for and quantifying these compounds at trace levels.

Legislative bodies responsible for maintaining the safety of food offered to consumers have established Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for a range of veterinary medicine residues. MRLs for penicillins and cephalosporins are defined in Commission Regulation (EU) 37/2010 and apply to a range of tissues from food-producing species.

MRLs have been established in muscle, fat, liver, kidney and milk for the majority of these compounds.

This test screens for the presence of the following compounds: Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Cloxacillin, Dicloxacillin, Nafcillin, Oxacillin, Penicillin G, Penicillin V, Cefalexin, Cefalonium, Cefapirin, Cefazolin, Cefoperazone, Cefquinome, Ceftiofur and Desacetylcephapirin.

The analytical method used at Fera is based on sample extraction using QuEChERS methodology. Testing is then carried out using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS).

Fera’s food safety experts use established, accredited analytical testing methods to detect and quantify beta-lactam residues within your food samples. We provide the evidence required by regulators to verify that levels of beta-lactam residues within your food products are compliant.

Our analytical methods are validated in accordance with the principles set out in Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Multi-residue option

As well as being purchasable standalone, this test is also included as part of our multi-residue screen process, which includes a broader range of veterinary residues.

See what’s included in our Multi-residue screen (Option 1) here.

Confirmatory Analysis

Confirmatory analysis, where required, will be at the same value as the analysis performed.  Fera will contact you beforehand to establish if the additional analysis is required.  The delivery time for confirmatory results will be 10 working days from your instruction to proceed.