CHARM II SYSTEM - COMPREHENSIVE RESIDUE ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR HONEY

Abstract

Antibiotics and pesticides in agricultural foods are a recurrent problem. Publication of reports of chloramphenicol in honey has recently affected the honey industry. Milk, meats, farmed fish, eggs and honey are all produced in agricultural environments that utilize the benefits of modern medicine (antibiotics) and pest control. Residues in foods create trade disputes, public health consequences and consumer perception problems that have enormous negative economic impact on the food industry. A rapid screening program of raw materials prior to purchase or sale is the solution. The Charm II system is a multi-analyte receptor assay system that has proven rapid, robust and reliable at all levels of farm to table food production. The Charm II is a scintillation based detection system for chemical families of drug residues utilizing class specific receptors or an antibody in immuno-binding assay formats. Results are numerical counts. The first Charm test for beta-lactams in milk became AOAC-A1 method in 1981. The Charm II assay for beta-lactams, tetracyclines, macrolides, aminoglycosides, sulfa drugs and chloramphenicol in milk became AOAC-A1 method in 1989. Data are presented that show Charm II sensitivity in fortified raw and heat processed honey to beta-lactam, tetracycline, aminoglycoside, sulfa drugs, macrolide and amphenicol antibiotics. The amphenicol assay modification to detect 0.3 ppb chloramphenicol is used as an example to explain how sensitivity is determined from probit analysis using 90% detection with 95% confidence parameters. Results of commodity honey samples screened in a certified lab for chloramphenicol, tetracycline and streptomycin are reported. These samples are predominately from South East Asian region and demonstrate multi-analyte contaminations and positive rates as high as fifty percent. HACCP analysis and preventative raw material screening have been the solution to antibiotic contamination of food. Implementation of these programs makes the food industry proactive rather than reactive.