Abraxis Nitrofurantoin ELISA kit

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The nitrofuran class of broad spectrum antibiotics (Nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, furaltadone and nitrofurazone) are commonly used in food-producing animals. Their potential for harmful effects on human health has led to bans on their use in food-producing animals in many countries including Australia, USA, Canada and the EU. These countries have also imposed bans on all imported foods containing nitrofuran residues.

The monitoring of water sources and food products for antibiotic residues is necessary to ascertain that these compounds are not misused and do not present a danger to human and animal health. But the detection of nitrofurans has proved challenging as the drugs are rapidly metabolised after ingestion - the protein bound metabolites which are formed, however, persist in edible tissue for a considerable amount of time after treatment.

AHD (1-aminohydantoin), the metabolite moiety derived from Nitrofurantoin, is not degraded by common cooking techniques and can be released from tissue under mildly acidic conditions, making it suitable for monitoring and detection in edible tissue. The Abraxis Nitrofurantoin ELISA allows the determination of 41 samples in duplicate determination. Only a few grams or millilitres of sample are required.

Hydrolysis and derivatisation (overnight), and a subsequent solvent extraction step, are necessary prior to assaying. The ELISA analysis can then be performed in less than 1 h. Applications include fish, prawn, chicken, honey and milk.