A fast effective sample cleanup method for applications related to food safety surveillance in the screening of commercial meat products for aminoglycoside residues

The utility of aminoglycoside antimicrobial additives and foods has recently been challenged due to the effects of bioaccumulation in an animal host. The persistence of these selected residues may result in population resistance to antibiotic treatment and as a consequence, has been considered an issue of public health. Of particular interest to this investigation are four aminoglycosides: gentamicin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, and neomycin. Strategies to target these compounds have been standardized by FDA method CLG-AMG2.06, “Screening and Confirmation for Aminoglycosides by LC-MS-MS”.

This report details current sample preparation strategies developed in a collaborative effort with Biotage and Tyson Foods, Inc. Springdale Corporate Laboratory to optimize analyte recovery (>70%), minimize analyte suppression and maintain acceptable method precision. Samples were processed under positive pressure using a manifold (Biotage PPM48), extracted using a polymeric weak cation exchange sorbent chemistry (EVOLUTE WCX)). The diluted extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry. Reduced workflow considerations for method implementation will also be presented.