Analysing growth promoters in feed

Antimicrobial resistance and toxicity

Wageningen Food Safety Research can find the antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) avoparcin, tylosin, spiramycin, virginiamycin and zinc bacitracin. The reason these promoters are not allowed is due to concerns about antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore we can analyse the growth promoters carbadox and olaquindox. These substances are withdrawn due to toxicity.

EU research

The methods are developed in the EU research project SIMBAG-FEED, coordinated by Wageningen Food Safety Research:

• A screening method for the AGPs avoparcin, tylosin, spiramycin, virginiamycin and zinc bacitracin in complete feed and milk replacers by a microbiological plate test. The limit of detection of this method is 1 mg/kg for all antibiotics except for zinc bacitracin (3-5 mg/kg).
• A confirmatory LC-MS/MS method for the tylosin, spiramycin, virginiamycin, carbadox and olaquindox in feed. The limit of identification is 1 mg/kg for the three AGPs, 4 mg/kg for carbadox and 3 mg/kg for olaquindox.
  

The methods have been fully validated incl. international collaborative studies, with successful results (see the pdf-files attached).

European recognised methods

Both methods have been selected to become European recognised methods through standardization within the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The drafting process within the committee CEN/TC 327 Animal feedingstuffs is in an advanced stage and finalisation is expected in 2016 or early 2017.