Comparing the effects of irradiation and ultrasound on enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, and sulfadiazine residues in chicken meat

Abstract

PurposeThis research aims to evaluate and compare the effects of irradiation and ultrasound treatments on residual amount of three widely detected antibiotics in chicken meat, in addition to colorimetry and weight loss investigation. MethodsBroiler chickens were administered with three common antibiotics including enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, and sulfadiazine and slaughtered at the age of 42 days. Chicken breast meat containing antibiotic residues was separately treated by gamma irradiation (at doses of 3, 5, and 7 kGy) and ultrasound at 240 W and 40 kHz (for 2, 5, and 10 min) to assess the effects of the treatments on reduction of antibiotic residues using HPLC technique. Moreover, the impact of treatments on weight loss and color changes were evaluated. ResultsThe results showed that both treatments significantly reduced the antibiotic residues; however, irradiation at higher doses and ultrasound at longer durations were more effective. The highest reduction of antibiotic residue was obtained at 7 kGy radiation dose and 10 min sonication time which was assigned to enrofloxacin (86.1%) followed by oxytetracycline (85%) and sulfadiazine (70.3%). Irradiation increased the L* (lightness) value and decreased the a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values in chicken, but ultrasound had mostly no significant effect on the L* and a* values. Furthermore, both irradiation and ultrasound caused weight loss in the samples, but in the irradiated samples it was more than the sonicated ones. ConclusionsGenerally, using ultrasound for 10 min can be recommended as a better method to reduce the antibiotic residues in chicken.