Studies Regarding the Detection of Sulfonamide Residues and Evaluation of the Level of Contamination in Poultry Meat

The excessive or uncontrolled use of antibiotics in poultry farming can lead to contaminated food products. Subsequently, the human consumption of products contaminated with these substances increases the global phenomenon of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method suitable for the determination of sulfonamide residues in poultry meat and to check the presence of residues in random samples. The level of antimicrobial resistance was identified in order to evaluate the current stage and to estimate the tendency of this phenomenon. The HPLC method validation was performed in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 657/2002 of 14 August 2002 Samples of fresh meat collected from a poultry slaughterhouse were analysed using the validated method in order to reveal the level of contamination. The data from EFSA was collected and analysed following the antimicrobial resistance for isolates of Salmonella spp., E. coli and Campylobacter spp. The method had good selectivity, linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99), precision (<6%), recoverybetween 97.7-109.6% and low limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) Sulfaquinoxaline residues were present in 2 samples and the level of contamination did not exceed the Maximum Residue Level (31.98 ± 5.18 µg/kg and 23.70 ± 3.84 µg/kg). The analysis of data from EFSA highlighted the general presence of antimicrobial resistance especially for the following antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The present study brings a contribution to the process of stopping antibiotic resistance through new methods of monitorization of sulfonamide residues. The statistical data shows that there is a direct correlation between the market availability of antibiotics used in poultry farming and the occurrence of antibiotic resistance.