Comparative Screening of Chloramphenicol Residue in Chicken Tissues Using Four Plate Test and Premi®Test Methods

Background: The safety of food with animal origin means that the food consumed is considered as safe when synthetic chemical agents are absent or present at very low concentrations. The aims of the present study were to validate the Premi®Test and four plate test (FPT) methods as well as screen and estimate the occurrence of chloramphenicol (CAP) residue in collected chicken tissues including liver, kidney and thigh muscle from Kermanshah, west of Iran. Methods: A total of 150 chicken samples were purchased from different poultry slaughterhouses in Kermanshah province, west of Iran and subjected to the FPT and Premi®Test. Results: The Premi®Test could not detect CAP residue at concentrations below 3 and 6 ppm in aqueous solution and kidney fluid, respectively. The highest sensitivity of FPT in the detection of CAP residue was optimally found in the agar medium inoculated with Bacillus subtilis at pH 7.2. The Premi®Test was more sensitive than FPT in the kidney fluid and aqueous solution. Regarding FPT results, CAP residue was found in 20% (n=30), 8.66% (n=28) and 11.33% (n=17) of liver, kidney and muscle samples, respectively. In the case of Premi®Test, the most contaminated samples were liver (24%), followed by kidney (22.66%) and muscle (19.33%). Conclusion: It can be concluded that illegal use of CAP in Iranian poultry industries should be taken into account seriously.