Food Animal Tissues Research Articles

PFAS and PBDEs in traditional subsistence foods from Sivuqaq, Alaska.

The Arctic is a hemispheric sink for both legacy and current use persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Once in the Arctic, POPs biomagnify in food webs, potentially reaching concentrations in high trophic level animals that pose a health concern for people who subsist on those animals. Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic may be highly exposed to POPs through their traditional diets. The objective of this study was to assess concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tissues of traditionally harvested foods from Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska. Community health researchers identified volunteer households and local hunters to donate tissues from traditionally harvested animals. Target species included bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus), ringed seal (Pusa hispida), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata), spotted seal (Phoca largha), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). PBDEs were frequently detected in all species and tissues. PBDE concentrations tended to be highest in lipid-rich tissues of seals. PFAS were infrequently detected and did not show obvious patterns among species or tissues. This and other studies demonstrate that POPs such as PBDEs are present in tissues of traditional food animals from Sivuqaq, as they are throughout the Arctic, and consumption of these animals likely contributes to exposure among Arctic Indigenous Peoples.

Suppression of apoptotic signaling in rat hepatocytes by non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls depends on the receptors CAR and PXR

Non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs) represent a sub-group of persistent organic pollutants found in food, environmental samples and human and animal tissues. Promotion of pre-neoplastic lesions in rodent liver has been suggested as an indicator for a possible increased risk of liver cancer in humans exposed to NDL-PCBs. In rodent hepatocytes, suppression of DNA damage-triggered apoptosis is a typical mode of action of liver tumor promoters. Here, we report that NDL-PCBs suppress apoptosis in rat hepatocytes treated in culture with an apoptogenic dose of UV light. Suppression became less pronounced when the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and/or the pregnane-X-receptor (PXR) where knocked-out using siRNAs, while knocking-out both receptors led to a full reconstitution of apoptosis. In contrast, suppression of apoptosis by the CAR or PXR activators phenobarbital or dexamethasone were CAR- or PXR-specific. Induction and suppression of apoptosis were paralleled by changes in caspase 3/7, 8 and 9 activities. Our findings indicate that NDL-PCBs can suppress UV-induced apoptosis in rat hepatocytes by activating CAR and PXR. It needs further investigation if these mechanisms of action are also of relevance for human liver.

“What a Waste”—Can We Improve Sustainability of Food Animal Production Systems by Recycling Food Waste Streams into Animal Feed in an Era of Health, Climate, and Economic Crises?

Food waste has been a major barrier to achieving global food security and environmental sustainability for many decades. Unfortunately, food waste has become an even bigger problem in many countries because of supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and African Swine Fever epidemic. Although Japan and South Korea have been leaders in recycling food waste into animal feed, countries that produce much greater amounts of food waste, such as the United States and the European Union, have lagged far behind. Concerns about the risk of transmission of bacteria, prions, parasites, and viruses have been the main obstacles limiting the recycling of food waste streams containing animal-derived tissues into animal feed and have led to government regulations restricting this practice in the U.S. and EU. However, adequate thermal processing is effective for inactivating all biological agents of concern, perhaps except for prions from infected ruminant tissues. The tremendous opportunity for nitrogen and phosphorus resource recovery along with several other environmental benefits from recycling food waste streams and rendered animal by-products into animal feed have not been fully appreciated for their substantial contribution toward solving our climate crisis. It is time to revisit our global approach to improving economic and environmental sustainability by more efficiently utilizing the abundant supply of food waste and animal tissues to a greater extent in animal feed while protecting human and animal health in food animal production systems.

A novel gold particle-based paper sensor for sensitively detecting carprofen in bovine muscle

ABSTRACT Carprofen (CAR) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to treat various musculoskeletal diseases and infections in food animals. While CAR residues in food animal tissues caused by veterinary medicine abuse are a potential danger to human health. In this study, a high-affinity monoclonal antibody (mAb) against CAR was prepared, and then an immunochromatographic strip for rapidly screening CAR in bovine muscle was developed to help enforce regulatory compliance. The visual detection limit (cut-off value) by the naked eye of the fabricated test strip was 12.5 ng g−1. Scanning by the strip reader, the IC50 of the test strip was calculated as 1.743 ng g−1, and the limit of detection (LOD, IC10) was 0.283 ng g−1. The proposed method provided an efficient tool for monitoring CAR in bovine muscle. Meantime, our work suggested great potential for the analysis of CAR residues in other food matrixes.

Comparison of stable isotope ratios in larval Pacific lamprey tissues and their nutritional sources when reared on a mixed diet

Aquaculture of larval lampreys (ammocoetes), to help recover and maintain threatened populations, is increasingly viewed as an important management tool. Ammocoetes are filter-feeders that remain burrowed in fine grain substrates for the majority of their lives, making it difficult to determine how well diets are being supplied and in what proportions various foods are utilized. Stable isotope analysis offers the ability to distinguish which foods are being incorporated into animal biomass. While muscle tissue is most commonly used for stable isotope analysis, other tissues could also be collected to avoid lethal sampling (e.g., blood) or to provide insight into condition (e.g., liver). Muscle, red blood cells (RBC), plasma, liver, and notochord were collected from Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) larvae raised in the laboratory on a varied diet; δ2H, δ13C, δ15N, δ18O and δ34S were measured in food sources, animal tissues, and lipid-extracted muscle. Tissues were generally isotopically similar to one another except in a few notable cases. The δ2H of notochord was more enriched than any other tissue and the δ15N and δ34S of RBC were elevated over muscle. The δ18O of all tissues was predicted from source water, allowing this isotope ratio to provide information about regional origin of lampreys. A stable isotope mixing model found that larval biomass, even when ammocoetes were supplied with various diet items, was still primarily dependent on aquatic sediments. Therefore, the burrowing medium supplied to ammocoetes in aquaculture facilities is likely to have a strong impact on growth rate and may benefit from the inclusion of more labile organic material or feed that specifically enriches the aquatic sediment.

Evaluating flushing procedures to prevent nicarbazin carryover during medicated feed manufacturing

Carryover of medicated feed additives between batches of feed can potentially result in harmful drug residues in the edible tissues of food-animals. Flushing the equipment with an ingredient, such as ground grain, is one method used to remove any residual medicated feed from the system. It is generally recommended that the quantity of flush used be between 50 and 100 g/kg of the mixer’s capacity. However, there is little data that supports this recommendation. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to determine the minimum quantity of flush material required to prevent drug carryover; and to quantify the interrelationship between flush size and drug concentration. The feed medicated with nicarbazin (Nicarb 250 g/kg®; 00.125 g/kg) was manufactured and conveyed from the mixer, through a drag conveyor and bucket elevator, and placed into a finished product bin. The system was then flushed using ground corn in the amount of 25, 50, 100, 150, or 200 g/kg of the mixer’s capacity (454.5 kg). Subsequently, a non-medicated diet was conveyed through the system and samples were collected and analyzed for nicarbazin. No differences were detected among the flush treatments, and all treatments were effective in reducing nicarbazin carryover to less than 2.2 mg/kg to the non-medicated diet. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that existing flushing guidelines meet or exceed what is required to prevent carryover of medicated feed additives.

Development and validation of an UPLC-UV method for determination of a novel triazine coccidiostat ethanamizuril and its metabolite M3 in chicken tissues.

Ethanamizuril (EZL) is a novel anti-coccidial triazine synthesized by the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. As a novel coccidiostat, it is essential to study its residue in food animal tissues. In this study, a reliable UPLC method for the determination of ethanamizuril (EZL) and one of its metabolites (M3) in chicken muscle, skin and fat, liver, and kidney samples was developed. Analytes were extracted using acetonitrile and 10% sodium carbonate solution, defatted by n-hexane, and further purified by using an Oasis MCX cartridge. The calibration curves for both test compounds were linear in all tissue matrices we tested: muscle, skin and fat, liver and kidney. The mean relative recoveries of EZL and M3 were from 87.3% to 103.2% between all tissue samples. The inter-day and intra-day relative standard deviations were within 15% and 20%, respectively. This method is accurate, reproducible and is ready to be field-tested.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in HIV-infected patients and food animals and direct genotyping of T. gondii isolates, Southern Ghana.

Toxoplasma gondii is of public health and veterinary importance causing severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals including HIV/AIDS patients and in congenital cases and animals. There is limited information on the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in humans, particularly HIV patients and food animals and the parasite genotypes in Ghana. A total of 394 HIV-infected patients from three hospitals were screened for T. gondii anti-IgG and IgM using ELISA. DNAs from blood samples of seropositve participants and 95 brain tissues of food animals were PCR assayed to detect Toxoplasma gra6. DNA positive samples were genotyped using multilocus nested polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism at 10 loci: sag1, alt.sag2, sag3, btub, gra6, l358, c22-8, c29-2, pk1, and apico. The overall seroprevalence was 74.37% (293/394). Toxoplasma DNAs were detected in 3.07% of the seropositive participants and 9.47% of the animals. Six of the human DNA positive samples were partly typed at sag3: 33.33, 50, and 16.67% isolates had type I, II, and III alleles, respectively. All nine isolates from food animals typed at nine loci except apico were atypical: six isolates were identical to ToxoDB #41 and #145, and one was identical to TgCkBrRj2 all identified in Brazil. The genotype of two isolates has not been reported previously and was named as TgCtGh1. T. gondii seroprevalence is high among the HIV-infected individuals with T. gondii circulating in Ghana being genetically diverse.

Heparin and related polysaccharides: synthesis using recombinant enzymes and metabolic engineering.

Glycosaminoglycans are linear anionic polysaccharides that exhibit a number of important biological and pharmacological activities. The two most prominent members of this class of polysaccharides are heparin/heparan sulfate and the chondroitin sulfates (including dermatan sulfate). These polysaccharides, having complex structures and polydispersity, are biosynthesized in the Golgi of most animal cells. The chemical synthesis of these glycosaminoglycans is precluded by their structural complexity. Today, we depend on food animal tissues for their isolation and commercial production. Ton quantities of these glycosaminoglycans are used annually as pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. The variability of animal-sourced glycosaminoglycans, their inherent impurities, the limited availability of source tissues, the poor control of these source materials, and their manufacturing processes suggest a need for new approaches for their production. Over the past decade, there have been major efforts in the biotechnological production of these glycosaminoglycans. This mini-review focuses on the use of recombinant enzymes and metabolic engineering for the production of heparin and chondroitin sulfates.

Production of chondroitin in metabolically engineered E. coli

Chondroitin sulfates, widely used in the treatment of arthritis, are glycosaminoglycans extracted from food animal tissues. As part of our ongoing efforts to separate the food chain from the drug chain, we are examining the possibility of using metabolic engineering to produce chondroitin sulfate in Escherichia coli. Chondroitin is a valuable precursor in the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate. This study proposes a safer and more feasible approach to metabolically engineer chondroitin production by expressing genes from the pathogenic E. coli K4 strain, which natively produces a capsular polysaccharide that shares the similar structure with chondroitin, into the non-pathogenic E. coli BL21 Star™ (DE3) strain. The ePathBrick vectors, allowing for multiple gene addition and expression regulatory signal control, are used for metabolic balancing needed to obtain the maximum potential yield. The resulting engineered strain produced chondroitin, as demonstrated by 1H NMR and disaccharide analysis, relying on chondrotinase treatment followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The highest yield from shake flask experiment was 213mg/L and further increased to 2.4g/L in dissolved oxygen-stat fed batch bioreactor.

Evaluation of a multi‐class, multi‐residue liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry method for analysis of 120 veterinary drugs in bovine kidney

Traditionally, regulatory monitoring of veterinary drug residues in food animal tissues involves the use of several single-class methods to cover a wide analytical scope. Multi-class, multi-residue methods (MMMs) of analysis tend to provide greater overall laboratory efficiency than the use of multiple methods, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) of targeted drug analytes usually provides exceptional performance even for complicated sample extracts. In this work, an LC-MS/MS method was optimized and validated in a test of 120 drug analytes from 11 different classes in bovine kidney. The method used 10 ml of 4/1 acetonitrile/water for extraction of 2 g samples and cleanup with hexane partitioning. Quantitative and qualitative performance was assessed for the analytes at fortification levels of 10, 50, 100, and 200 ng/g. With the method, 66 drugs gave 70-120% recovery with ≤ 20% RSD at all levels over the course of 3 days. At the 200 ng/g level, 89 drugs met these same standards. Limits of detection were ≤ 10 ng/g for 109 of the analytes in the kidney matrix in validation experiments. Qualitatively, MS/MS identification criteria were set that ion ratios occur within ± 10% (absolute value) from those of the analyte reference standards. At the 10 ng/g level, 57% of the drugs met the identification criteria, which improved to 84% at the 200 ng/g level. The method serves as an efficient and useful additional option among the current monitoring methods available.

A Quantitative Method for Residues of Macrolide Antibiotics in Porcine Kidney by Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An LC/MS/MS-based multiresidue quantitative method was developed for the macrolides erythromycin A, neospiramycin I, oleandomycin, spiramycin I, tilmicosin, and tylosin A in porcine kidney tissues. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) had as part of its analytical scope an LC/UV method for quantification of residues of two macrolide antibiotics, tilmicosin and tylosin A, in the kidney, liver, and muscle of cattle, swine, and poultry. The method could not reliably detect concentrations below 10 microg/kg. To increase the scope of the CFIA's analytical capabilities, a sensitive multiresidue quantitative method for macrolide residues in food animal tissues was required. Porcine kidney samples were extracted with acetonitrile and alkaline buffer and cleaned-up using silica-based C18 SPE cartridges. Sample extracts were analyzed using LC/MS/MS with positive electrospray ionization. Fitness for purpose was verified in a single-laboratory validation study using a second analyst. The working analytical range was 5 to 50 microg/kg. LOD and LOQ were 0.5 to 0.6 microg/kg and 1.5 to 3.0 microg/kg, respectively. Limits of identification were 0.5 to 2.0 microg/kg. Relative intermediate precisions were 8 to 17%. Average absolute recoveries were 68 to 76%.

Absorption and Excretion of 14C-Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Angus Cattle (Bos taurus)

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are environmentally persistent industrial chemicals often found in biosolids. Application of these biosolids to pastures raises concern about the accumulation of PFOA in the edible tissues of food animals. Because data on the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of PFOA in cattle were unavailable, a study was conducted to determine pharmacokinetic parameters following a single oral exposure (1 mg/kg body weight of (14)C-PFOA) in four Lowline Angus steers. Radiocarbon was quantified in blood, urine, and feces for 28 days and in tissues at the time of slaughter (28 days) by liquid scintillation counting (LSC) or by combustion analysis with LSC with confirmation by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). (14)C-PFOA was completely absorbed and excreted (100.7 ± 3.3% recovery) in the urine within 9 days of dosing. The plasma elimination half-life was 19.2 ± 3.3 h. No (14)C-PFOA-derived radioactivity was detected in edible tissues. Although PFOA was rapidly absorbed, it was also rapidly excreted by steers and did not persist in edible tissues, suggesting meat from cattle exposed to an acute dose of PFOA is unlikely to be a major source of exposure to humans.

Developing vaccines to control protozoan parasites in ruminants: Dead or alive?

Protozoan parasites are among some of the most successful organisms worldwide, being able to live and multiply within a very wide range of hosts. The diseases caused by these parasites cause significant production losses in the livestock sector involving reproductive failure, impaired weight gain, contaminated meat, reduced milk yields and in severe cases, loss of the animal. In addition, some protozoan parasites affecting livestock such as Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum may also be transmitted to humans where they can cause serious disease.Data derived from experimental models of infection in ruminant species enables the study of the interactions between parasite and host. How the parasite initiates infection, becomes established and multiplies within the host and the critical pathways that may lead to a disease outcome are all important to enable the rational design of appropriate intervention strategies. Once the parasites invade the hosts they induce both innate and adaptive immune responses and the induction and function of these immune responses are critical in determining the outcome of the infection.Vaccines offer green solutions to control disease as they are sustainable, reducing reliance on pharmacological drugs and pesticides. The use of vaccines has multiple benefits such as improving animal health and welfare by controlling animal infections and infestations; improving public health by controlling zoonoses and food borne pathogens in animals; solving problems associated with resistance to acaricides, antibiotics and anthelmintics; keeping animals and the environment free of chemical residues and maintaining biodiversity. All of these attributes should lead to improved sustainability of animal production and economic benefit.Using different protozoan parasitic diseases as examples this paper will discuss various approaches used to develop vaccines to protect against disease in livestock and discuss the relative merits of using live versus killed vaccine preparations. A range of different vaccination targets and strategies will be discussed to help protect against: acute disease, congenital infection and abortion, persistence of zoonotic pathogens in tissues of food animals and passive transfer of immunity to neonates.

Simultaneous determination of lincomycin and spectinomycin residues in animal tissues by gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with accelerated solvent extraction

A new multi-dimensional analytical method using gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC-NPD) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed for qualitative and quantitative measurement of lincomycin and spectinomycin residues in food animal tissues. This method is based on a new extraction procedure using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). The analytes were extracted by phosphate buffer with trichloroacetic acid de-proteinisation and clean-up by C18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) adding dodecanesulfonic acid sodium salt as an ion-pair reagent. The eluted fraction was evaporated and derivatised with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) for GC-NPD analysis and GC-MS confirmation. Parameters for extraction pressure, temperature and cycle of ASE, clean-up, derivatisation and analysis procedure were optimised. The method was validated in muscle, kidney and liver of swine, bovine with a low concentration (limit of quantification) of 16.4 and 21.4 µg kg−1 for these two analytes using GC-NPD. For GC-MS, the limits of quantification were 4.1 and 5.6 µg kg−1, respectively. Spiked recoveries from levels of 20 to 200 µg kg−1 were found to be between 73% and 99% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 17% in GC-NPD. For GC-MS, levels from 5 to 20 µg kg−1 had between 70% and 93% with an RSD of less than 21%. This rapid and reliable method can be used for the characterisation and quantification of residues of lincomycin and spectinomycin in animal tissues.

Simultaneous determination of amitraz and its metabolite residue in food animal tissues by gas chromatography-electron capture detector and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with accelerated solvent extraction

A new method has been developed for determination and confirmation of amitraz and its main metabolite, 2,4-dimethylaniline, in food animal tissues using gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry detector (GC–MS). This method is based on a new extraction procedure using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). It consists of an n-hexane/methanol extraction step, a cleaning-up step by BakerBond octadecyl C 18 silica bonded cartridge, hydrolysis and derivatization to 2,4-dimethyl-7-F-butyramide for GC-ECD analysis. For confirmation using GC–MS, hydrolysis and derivatization were not needed. Parameters for extraction pressure, temperature and cycle of ASE, clean-up, derivatization and analysis procedure have been optimized. Spike recoveries from 50 to 300 μg/kg levels were found to be between 72.4 and 101.3% with relative standard deviation less than 11.5% in GC-ECD, from 5 to 20 μg/kg levels were found to be between 77.4 and 107.1% with relative standard deviation less than 11.6% in GC–MS. The LOD and LOQ are 5 and 10 μg/kg, respectively, for these two analytes using GC-ECD. For GC–MS, LOD and LOQ were 2 and 5 μg/kg, respectively. The rapid and reliable method can be used for characterization and quantification of residues of amitraz and its main metabolite, 2,4-dimethylaniline, in liver and kidney samples of swine, sheep and bovine.

Determination of the performance characteristics of a new multi-residue method for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and anabolic steroids in food animal tissues

A new LC–MS/MS method was developed for the analysis of 29 veterinary drug residues, spanning three different drug classes, in animal tissues. The procedures used to measure the characteristic performance parameters of the method and the results obtained using fortified blank bovine muscle and kidney tissue are described. For a quantitative and confirmatory method, the characteristic performance parameters to be determined are the limits of quantification, trueness, recovery, precision, selectivity, ruggedness, and stability. The characteristic performance parameters defined for the method will be verified during a validation study by an independent experienced analyst to determine whether the method is suitable for use in a regulatory monitoring and control program for residues of the 29 analytes.

Amyloid fibrils: potential food safety implications

The demonstration of oral Amyloid-A (AA) fibril transmissibility has raised food safety questions about the consumption of amyloidotic viscera. In a presumed prion-like mechanism, amyloid fibrils have been shown to trigger and accelerate the development of AA amyloidosis in rodent models. The finding of amyloid fibrils in edible avian and mammalian food animal tissues, combined with the inability of cooking temperatures to eliminate their amyloidogenic potential, has led to concerns that products such as pate de foie gras may activate a reactive systemic amyloidosis in susceptible consumers. Given the ability of amyloid fibrils to cross-seed the formation of chemically heterologous fibrils, the speculative etiologic role of dietary amyloid in other disease processes involving amyloid formation such as Alzheimer's disease and Type II Diabetes is also discussed.

Analytical methods for the determination of zeranol residues in animal products: A review

Analytical methods for zeranol residues are reviewed. Zeranol was a widely used as an anabolic promoter, and it could give rise to very low residues in the edible tissues of food animals. Zeranol was officially banned in Europe due to safety concerns because of its potential carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting biological activity. A few analytical methods for determination of zeranol are reported in the literature and most of the methods such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and immunoassay are reviewed in this paper. Specific aspects of analysing zeranol such as sample selection, sample handling, method selection and chromatographic conditions are discussed. The instrumental methods such as LC/MS and GC/MS provide sensitive and specific techniques, but are very laborious and expensive. These methods are suitable for confirmation but not for screening of large numbers of samples. A rapid, sensitive and specific assay is needed to detect positive samples in routine analysis, and immunoassay offers practical advantages over the conventional instrumental methods in rapid analysis of zeranol residues. Immunochemical methods such as enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA) are simple, rapid and cost-effective, with adequate sensitivity and specificity to detect small molecules. This review can be considered as a basis for further research aimed at identifying the most efficient approaches for the analysis of zeranol.

Determination of Sulfonamide Residues in the Tissues of Food Animals Using Automated Precolumn Derivatization and Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection

A liquid chromatographic method for the determination of sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfadoxine, sulfaethoxypyridazine, sulfamethazine, sulfaquinoxaline, and sulfathiazole residues in the muscle, liver, and kidney of food animals using sulfapyridine as internal standard is reported. Tissues are extracted using a modified version of AOAC Official Method 983.31 (Sulfonamide Residues in Animal Tissues). The sample extract is reconstituted in pH 3.0 buffer-acetonitrile (60 + 40) and filtered into an autosampler vial. Using a programmable autosampler of a liquid chromatograph, a portion of the sample is derivatized precolumn with fluorescamine. The sulfonamide derivatives are separated by liquid chromatography using a C18 column with a mobile phase of 0.02M phosphoric acid-acetonitrile (60.5 + 39.5) and detected by fluorescence (excitation, 405 nm; emission, 495 nm). The method was applied to swine and cattle muscle, liver, and kidney; sheep and horse muscle and kidney; and chicken muscle and liver. The mean values for samples fortified with sulfonamides at levels between 0.05 and 0.2 microg/g agreed within 96-99% of spiked levels, with coefficients of variation ranging from 4-10%. The limit of detection (LOD) for all sulfonamides was 0.01 microg/g, with the exception of sulfaquinoxaline, for which the LOD was 0.015 microg/g.