Validation of two enzyme immunoassays for aminoglycoside residues according to European Decision 657/2002.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are commonly used to treat bacterial infections in human and veterinary practice. Owing to their toxicity, the European Community has established maximum residue limits (MRL) in foodstuffs of animal origin (EEC No 2377/90). In the present study, the performance of two new enzyme immunoassays (EIA), I'screen Gentamicin and I'screen Neomycin, for the quantitative detection of the aminoglycosides, gentamicin and neomycin, in milk and tissue are described. Validation of these EIAs has been performed in accordance to the criteria of European Decision 657/2002. Assays sensitivity at the MRLs was 95% for milk samples and 100% for tissue samples, while specificity was 100% at 33 and 25% of the MRLs for milk and tissues, respectively. The performance of these EIAs indicates that they can be used as easy screening methods for the analysis of aminoglycosides in milk and tissue samples.