title: The use of a diffusion test for the detection of antibiotics in the tissues of slaughter stock.
abstract: The Brilliant Black Reduction Test Kit (BR Test), which is widely used to detect antimicrobial residues in milk, was adapted to detect residues in the meat and tissues of slaughter stock. The adaptation consisted of placing kidney and muscle tissue samples into 2.5ml diffusion cups containing 0.4ml media plus Bacillus stearothermophilus spores and brilliant black indicator. A preliminary trial undertaken to test the lower limits of sensitivity of the adapted BR Test to a number of the more common antibiotics used in food animals, was followed by a survey involving 943 pigs slaughtered at one abattoir. Samples were tested from 87 suppliers of which 11 regularly marketed pigs with detectable antimicrobial residues. Most of these pigs came from large pig producing units. Three suppliers marketed pigs with suspicious reactions. No residues could be detected in pigs from the remaining 73 suppliers. The BR Test was found to be a quick, inexpensive, practical screening test which could be utilized for the routine detection of antimicrobial residues in slaughter stock at all South African abattoirs.
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D001681:Biological Assay; D004350:Drug Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D007668:Kidney / Q000032:analysis; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009132:Muscles / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents