Detection limits of four antimicrobial residue screening tests for beta-lactams in goat's milk

This study was conducted to compare the detection limits (DL) of several antibiotic residue screening tests with the maximum residue limits (MRL) authorized by the EU according to the guidance for the standardized evaluation of microbial inhibitor tests of the International Dairy Federation. Composite antibiotic-free milk samples from 30 primiparous Murciano-Granadina goats in good health condition were used to prepare test samples spiked with different concentrations of each antimicrobial. In total, 5,760 analytical determinations of 10 beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillin-G, ampicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin, oxacillin, dicloxacillin, cefadroxyl, cefalexin, cefoperazone, and cefuroxime) were performed using 4 antibiotic residue screening tests: the brilliant black reduction test BRT AiM (AiM-Analytik in Milch Produktions-und Vertriebs GmbH, München, Germany), Delvotest MCS (DSM Food Specialties, Delft, the Netherlands), Eclipse 100 (ZEU-Inmunotec SL, Zaragoza, Spain), and the Copan Milk Test (CMT; Copan Italia SpA, Brescia, Italy). For each method, we estimated the detection limits of the antimicrobial agents using a logistic regression model. Using the CMT and Delvotest on samples spiked with the 8 antibiotics for which MRL were available, DL were at or below the MRL. The BRT test provided DL at or below the MRL for all of the agents except cefalexin, whereas the Eclipse 100 method failed to detect 4 antibiotics (ampicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin, and cefoperazone) at