Screening of Enrofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin Residues in Chicken Meat by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Enrofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin antibiotics are widely used in chicken production for prophylaxis and therapeutics purposes. Existence of these antibiotic residues in chicken meat can pose hazards to human health. The present study was aimed to assess the residue level of these antibiotics in chicken meat. Chicken meat samples (including muscle, liver, kidney and fat) from poultry farms and retail market were collected. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used for screening of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin residues in chicken meat samples. The analysis revealed that 43.58% meat samples were positive for enrofloxacin and 38.71% for ciprofloxacin residues. Out of it, 45.17% samples were having concentration above the MRL for enrofloxacin and 50.28% for ciprofloxacin. So it can be concluded that the usage of these antimicrobial in chicken lead contamination of meat and it may cause resistance in consumers and seems to be a public health threat.