What is it about?
Nitrofurans are antibiotics banned for use in animals because they can end up in the food we eat and increase our risk of cancer. We need rapid tests to detect these dangerous residues in food. Many laboratories have created antibodies against these nitrofuran drugs which are then used in various types of food tests. The details and best ways of creating such tests are complex. Therefore we have reviewed the scientific literature since the problem with nitrofurans in food burst onto the scene in 2001. We have summarised the chemistry used to create the antibodies needed for the various screening tests described and make recommendations where further research is needed in this area of food safety.
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Why is it important?
Food safety is one of the great global challenges of today. Nitrofuran drugs are still used legally in some countries which export their food around the world. We need the best screening tests which can be used quickly and easily to check for harmfully chemicals in our food. This review will help scientists create better such tests which can be adopted by food producers and processors, ultimately to keep us all safer.
Perspectives
We as authors of this review have been involved in nitrofuran drug residue research since this food safety issue hit the headlines in 2001 - indeed we were instrumental in uncovering the problem. It is pleasing to see the progress which has been made in developing tests to detect these chemicals in our food over the years, especially those which have adopted our original solutions. We are keen to see the gaps plugged where additional testing is needed and new broader spectrum techniques are developed.
Dr Kevin M. Cooper
Queen's University Belfast
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Development of Antibodies and Immunoassays for Monitoring of Nitrofuran Antibiotics in the Food Chain, Current Organic Chemistry, January 2018, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/1385272821666170427160210.
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