Researchers Identify Drug Residues in Baby Food
University of Almeria researchers have reportedly used a new “multi-residue” technique to identify veterinary drug residues in baby food, raising concerns about the need to better regulate the substances permitted in animal-based products. M.M. Aguilera-Luiz, et al., “Multiclass method for fast determination of veterinary drug residues in baby food by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry,” Food Chemistry, June 2012. The study’s authors evidently analyzed 12 meat products containing beef, pork or poultry and nine milk powder samples, all of which purportedly contained trace amounts of antibiotics, including sulfonamides and macrolides, as well as anthelmintics and fungicides. In particular, the results allegedly showed higher concentrations of veterinary drug residues in chicken and other poultry products.
“The concentrations detected have been generally very low,” one of authors was quoted as saying. “On one hand, this suggests they are not worrying amounts, on the other hand, it shows the need to control these products to guarantee food safety.” See ScienceDaily.com, May 18, 2012; The Daily Mail, May 22, 2012.
