The Tetracyclines are a group of closely related bacteriostatic antibiotics with similar antibacterial spectra. Tetracyclines are used extensively in veterinary medicine and their use in food producing animals could result in potentially harmful concentrations in tissue, organs and milk. In recent years, Tetracyclines have been used in apiculture for the treatment of bacterial brood infections and although not intended for use during the production of marketable honey, their use could result in presence in honey.
Oxytetracycline is one of the most commonly used antibiotic used in fish farms. Randox Food Diagnostics have developed the Oxytetracycline ELISA to detect traces of Oxytetracyclines in honey and tissue.
Oxytetracycline SENSITIVE ELISA
Assay |
Compound |
% Cross-reactivity |
LOD (ppb) |
Oxytetracycline
|
Oxytetracycline |
100 |
3.92 Honey
20 fish/shrimp tissue
|
4-epioxytetracycline |
100 |
Tetracycline |
>100 |
4-epitetracycline |
>100 |
Rolitetracycline |
>100 |
Chlortetracycline |
98 |
Demeclocycline |
79 |
Doxycycline |
44 |
4-epichlortetracycline |
38 |
Methacycline |
21 |