Novel bioassay using Bacillus megaterium to detect tetracycline in milk

Tetracyclines are used for the prevention and control of dairy cattle diseases. Residues of these drugs can be excreted into milk. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a microbiological method using Bacillus megaterium to detect tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline and tetracycline) in milk. In order to approximate the limits of detection of the bioassay to the Maximum Residue Limit (100 mu g/l) for milk tetracycline, different concentrations of chloramphenicol (0, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mu g/l) were tested. The detection limits calculated were similar to the Maximum Residue Limits when a bioassay using B. megaterium ATCC 9885 spores (2.8 x 10(8) spores/ml) and chloramphenicol (2000 mu g/l) was utilized. This bioassay detects 105 mu g/l of chlortetracycline, 100 mu g/l of oxytetracycline and 134 mu g/l of tetracycline in 5 h. Therefore, this method is suitable to be incorporated into a microbiological multi-residue system for the identification of tetracyclines in milk. (C) 2016 Asociacion Argentina de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.