Sedatives

Sedatives can be used to calm animals, especially pigs and horses, for a variety of purposes including prior to mixing or transportation, during veterinary examinations and to manage excitable or reactive animals.

Veterinary drug residues, when consumed in significant quantities, can result in physiological effects in humans. As a result, concerns regarding the possible occurrence of sedative residues in food have led to a need for analytical methods capable of monitoring 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 sedatives are defined in Commission Regulation (EU) 37/2010 and apply to a range of tissues from food-producing species.

MRLs have been established for a range of sedative compounds and apply to muscle, fat, liver, kidney and milk.

This test screens for the presence of the following compounds: Acetopromazine, Azaperol, Azaperone, Carazolol, Chlorpromazine, Propionylpromazine and Xylazine.

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 sedative residues within your food samples. We provide the evidence required by regulators to verify that levels of sedative 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 2) 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.