Ensuring Dairy Safety: Analysis of Antibiotic Residues in Milk Powder, Whey, and Cream with the Eclipse Test

3, Feb 2025

In the global dairy industry, quality assurance is not just a priority—it’s a necessity. One critical aspect of this assurance is detecting antibiotic residues in raw milk and its derivatives. Such analyses play a vital role in farms, control laboratories, and dairy industries to ensure compliance with international food safety standards like Regulation (EU) No. 37/2010 and the Codex Alimentarius.

The Evolving Dairy Landscape

With globalization and the rise of international trade, the dairy industry faces growing demands for intermediate products such as milk powder, whey powder, concentrates, and cream. These products offer several advantages:

Extended Shelf Life: Longer usability compared to liquid milk.

Reduced Volume: Up to 80% less space requirement.

Cost-Effective: Often don’t require refrigeration, reducing transport and storage costs.

Major importers, such as China, Algeria, and Brazil, rely on these products to meet their fresh milk demand. Simultaneously, leading exporters like New Zealand, the USA, Germany, and France, along with emerging players like Argentina and Uruguay, are driving growth in this sector.

The Importance of Antibiotic Residue Testing

Antibiotic residue testing in dairy products ensures that they meet stringent quality and safety standards, protecting public health and fostering trust in international trade. This is where Zeulab’s Eclipse Test comes in. Designed to analyze antibiotic residues in matrices such as milk powder, concentrated and powdered whey, and cream, the test adheres to protocols established by the International Dairy Federation (IDF).

How Does the Eclipse Test Work?

The Eclipse Test is based on the growth inhibition of the Geobacillus stearothermophilus bacterium:

Principle: In a specialized culture medium, bacterial spores germinate, multiply, and acidify the medium, causing a color change from blue to yellow. If the sample contains antibiotics above the detection limit, bacterial growth is inhibited, and the medium remains blue.

Enhanced Automation: Paired with the Comet32 equipment, the test becomes fully automated, providing:

Real-time color change monitoring.

Objective, standardized results.

Efficient communication and storage of results.

Technical Highlights of the Eclipse Test

Scope: Simultaneous detection of 50 antibiotics across 8 families (e.g., beta-lactams, tetracyclines, sulfonamides).

Assay Time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Manual or Automated: Flexible options for visual or automated readings.

Format: Individual assays accommodating up to 31 samples per assay.

Why Choose Comet32?

The Comet32 system revolutionizes the antibiotic screening process:

Automates Eclipse 4G assays, standardizing procedures and minimizing manual errors.

Incubates samples, stops assays, and interprets results autonomously.

Manages multiple sample sets (1-8) concurrently for increased efficiency.

Ensuring Quality Across Borders

In today’s interconnected world, the ability to guarantee the safety and quality of dairy products is paramount. The Eclipse Test, supported by the automation of Comet32, empowers producers and regulators to meet global standards effectively. This innovation ensures that dairy products like milk powder, whey, and cream not only maintain their nutritional value but also meet the stringent safety expectations of international markets.

Partner with Zeulab

Are you ready to enhance your dairy testing processes? Zeulab offers cutting-edge solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the dairy industry. Contact us today to learn more about how the Eclipse Test and Comet32 can help you achieve unparalleled quality assurance.

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