Evaluation of Two Simple Assay Methods for Detecting Antibiotic Residues in Chicken and Pig Muscle

Using 2 paper disc assay procedures, Bacillus cereus and Sarcina lutea were challenged with extracts from chicken and pig muscle paste to which various antibiotics had been added. The first method could detect tetracycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, penicillin, erythromycin, tylosin and virginiamycin at or <1 μg/g of muscle paste, whilst the second method was necessary to detect the remaining 5 antibiotics at this level. Using the first assay procedure, penicillin, zinc bacitracin and the 3 tetracycline compounds could be detected below FAO/WHO maximum permissible levels for meat for human consumption, whilst the second method was necessary to meet requirements for streptomycin, erythromycin and tylosin. Spiramycin could not be detected by either method at the levels permitted by FAO/WHO. The minimum levels of detection obtained for flavomycin, virginiamycin and monensin were 0.2, 0.02 and 0.5–1.0 μg/g, respectively.