Occurrence of antimicrobial residues in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets produced in Brazil and available at the retail market

Author(s)

Bortolotte, Andrea Renata ^[1] ; Daniel, Daniela ^{[2, 3]} ; Reyes, Felix Guillermo Reyes ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Sch Food Engn, Dept Food Sci, Rua Monteiro Lobato 80, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Agilent Technol Brasil, Alameda Araguaia 1142, BR-06455000 Barueri, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Fundamental Chem, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 748, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Food Research International; v. 140, FEB 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the occurrence of antimicrobial residues in samples of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets collected at the State of Sao Paulo retail market and produced from fish farmed in Brazil. For this purpose, a liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was validated and used to quantify residues of 25 antibacterial drugs (2 beta-lactams, 8 quinolones, 2 macrolides, 5 sulfonamides, 4 tetracyclines, 3 amphenicols and 1 sulfonamide potentiator). For the sample preparation step the QuEChERS approach was performed. Chromatographic separation was conducted using a Zorbax SB C18 column. Method validation was performed based on European and Brazilian guidelines. The validation parameters (linearity, intra- and inter-day precision, accuracy, decision limit, detection capability and robustness) attended the adopted validation guidelines. Limits of detection and quantitation were also determined. Antimicrobial drug residues were quantitated in the incurred samples by using matrix-matched analytical curves. Oxytetracycline, florfenicol and, for the first time, enrofloxacin residues are reported in tilapia fillet samples from Brazil, though, in accordance with the European and Brazilian regulatory framework. Thus, our results draw attention to the use of veterinary products in fish farming in Brazil. Monitoring of veterinary drug residues is essential to ensure the safety of fish products available to the consumer, as well as to keep fish as a food commodity. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50452-5 - Veterinary drugs: development and validation of bioanalytical methods using LC-MS/MS and MALDI-TOF-MS and its applications in sanitary surveillance and the development of fish farming in Brazil
• Grantee: Felix Guillermo Reyes Reyes
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE