U.S – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) is set to unveil an innovative method for quantifying chemical residues in beef muscle samples, a move poised to enhance beef safety standards.
Scheduled to be implemented on October 1, 2023, this new quantitative method, titled “Quantitation of Animal Drug Residues by High-Resolution, Accurate-Mass Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HRAM LC-MS),” represents a significant leap forward in the field of veterinary drug residue analysis.
By combining cutting-edge technology with user-friendly formats, the agency empowers stakeholders with the tools they need to ensure the safety and quality of beef products.
The introduction of this cutting-edge method for beef safety assessment promises a multitude of advantages that stand to redefine the entire landscape.
One of its standout features is the ability to simultaneously quantify multiple veterinary drug residues in a single analysis, a remarkable feat of precision made possible by its high mass accuracy.
This innovation not only extends its reach to previously challenging-to-measure veterinary drugs but also opens up new avenues for enhanced monitoring and regulation.
Moreover, as outdated techniques are consigned to the archives, this modern method steps in to offer efficiency and precision that was previously beyond reach.
By aligning detection limits with established drug residue tolerances, it ensures that even trace amounts of harmful substances remain impossible to overlook.
Perhaps most notably, this pioneering approach is poised to significantly expedite the process of obtaining results for presumptive positive residues, enabling quicker and more effective responses when necessary.
Reformatting for clarity
In addition to the groundbreaking quantitative method, the USDA’s FSIS has also recently updated three existing methods to improve accessibility and clarity for users.
These revamped methods, “Quantitation of Salt (CLG-SLT),” “Quantitation of Fat (CLG-FAT),” and “Screening, Quantitation, and Confirmation of Beta-Agonists by UHPLC-MS-MS (CLG-AGON1),” are now presented in the new Chemical Laboratory Guidebook format.
The new format includes flowcharts that provide a step-by-step visualization of the analysis process, from sample receipt to result reporting.
These transformative developments, set to be available on the FSIS website no later than September 30, 2023, signal the USDA’s FSIS’s unwavering commitment to enhancing beef safety standards.
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