Fera food scientists are able to highlight and quantify the levels of a range of sulfonamides, within a variety of foodstuffs. We can also provide the evidence required by regulators to validate the levels of sulfonamides within your food products.

Sulfonamides are broad spectrum antibiotics used to treat bacterial and protozoal infections in a wide variety of food-producing animals, often in conjunction with trimethoprim. They are commonly used in the treatment of infections of skin, urinary tract or respiratory tract.

Veterinary drug residues, when consumed in significant quantities, can result in physiological effects being shared in humans. As a result the concern about the possible occurrence of residues of this drug in human food has produced a need for analytical methods to monitor for this agent at trace residue levels.

As a result, legislative bodies charged with maintaining the safety of foodstuffs offered to consumers have defined Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for a range of residues. MRL for sulfonamides are defined in Commission Regulation (EU) 37/2010 (or as amended), which apply to all food-producing species. MRLs have been set in kidney, muscle, fat, liver and milk

Testing is carried out using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and has been validated in accordance with the principles set out in Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, for the majority of analyte/matrix combinations.

This analysis method is accredited to ISO17025 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Within this analysis, our food safety experts highlight the following specific chemicals:

Sulfachloropyridazine, Sulfadiazine, Sulfadimethoxine, Sulfadoxine, Sulfaguanidine, Sulfamerazine, Sulfamethazine, Sulfamethizole, Sulfamethoxazole, Sulfamethoxypyridazine, Sulfamonomethoxine, Sulfamoxole, Sulfanilamide, Sulfapyridine, Sulfaquinoxaline, Sulfathiazole, Sulfisoxazol, Trimethoprim

Multi-residue option

As well as being purchasable standalone, this test is also included as part of our multi-residue screen process, which includes a broader range of veterinary residues.

See what’s included in our Multi-residue screen (Option 1) here.