Publicised reports of horse DNA found in processed beef burgers readily available to buy in the UK and Ireland have highlighted that there is an increased requirement to ensure that these contaminated foods do not enter the food chain. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) also claimed that five horses which had tested positive for veterinary drug Phenylbutazone had been exported for human consumption in France last year.
The veterinary drug, also known as ‘bute’, is an anti-inflammatory administered to horses to treat lameness and fever. The use of Phenylbutazone in food producing animals is prohibited in most countries, including the European Union, the US, Canada and Japan.
As a result, MRLs have not been set for Phenylbutazone residues, meaning that any detection is considered a violation.
Randox Food Diagnostics offers the Phenylbutazone ELISA testing platform to detect Phenylbutazone in urine samples with a tissue sample preparation available upon request. The benefits include:
- Excellent detection of the main metabolite Oxyphenbutazone
- Exceptional limits of detection
- Plates pre-coated with analyte specific antibody, reducing assay set-up time
Please contact Randox Food Diagnostics for more information.
