Randox Food Diagnostics will Launch an ELISA for Tetracycline Screening

Growing concern amongst regulatory bodies about human resistance to common antibiotics is driving expansion for veterinary residue testing. Amongst its findings the recent joint European Food Safety Authority / European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Report on antimicrobial resistance data among zoonotic and indicator bacteria in 2011 indicated high resistance to Tetracycline’s in Salmonella isolates from humans. In the wake of the report Randox Food Diagnostics will launch a generic Tetracyclines ELISA screening kit at the end of July to complement their established multiplex arrays, based on innovative Biochip Array Technology.

Tetracyclines are used globally to reduce bacterial infections across all food producing animals, but the firm will be releasing the ELISA firstly onto the honey market, with validations for Meat, Seafood and Dairy products to follow closely.

Within Apiculture, Tetracyclines are used in major markets such as China, India & Mexico so initial demand is expected to come from these key regions.

Randox Food Diagnostics Business Manager Aaron Tohill said, “Trends show over the last few years, that regulators have been increasingly concerned about developing human antibiotic resistance via the food chain. For example in 2010 the US FDA advised producers that antibiotics should be used solely for disease control, phasing out growth promotion. Following that, in 2011 the EU embarked on a major data study, and now with those findings published it is clear that industry can expect further action.

“Although Biochip Array Technology is trusted as a leading screening test for Tetracyclines within the honey sector, we are aware that this market, as well as others demands a lower volume solution. Reacting to that dynamic this new Immunoassay-based kit provides a cost-effective screening solution for a wide variety of laboratories and we are pleased to add it to our growing array of products.”