The detection of hormone abuse for growth promotion in food animal production is a global concern. Initial testing for hormones in Canada was directed at the compounds approved for use in beef cattle, melengestrol acetate, trenbolone acetate and zeranol, and the banned compound diethylstilbestrol (DES). No hormonal growth promoters are approved for use in veal production in Canada. However, instances of use of trenbolone and clenbuterol were detected in Canada in the 1990s. During the development of a new analytical method for testosterone and progesterone, there were reports of suspicious injection sites being found in veal calves. Upon implementation of the method, analysis of investigative samples revealed significant residues of testosterone in some injection sites. To prove that the source of these residues was exogenous, a fully validated method for hormone esters was developed to confirm the presence of exogenous hormones in these injection sites. The QUECHERS model was employed in methods development and resulted in a simple, effective extraction technique that consisted of sample pre-homogenization, liquid/liquid partitioning, extract dilution, filtration and use of LC/MS/MS to provide detection selectivity. The result was an adaptable MS/MS confirmation technique that meets the needs of Canadian regulatory authorities to confirm the misuse of injectable testosterone, and potentially other hormones, in food animal production.
An existing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based quantitative screening method for the regulatory analysis of the resorcylic acid lactones zeranol, taleranol, and zearalanone and the stilbene anabolic steroids diethylstilbestrol and dienestrol was extended to include natural precursors of zeranol (zearalenone, alpha-zearalenol, and beta-zearalenol) in veal liver. No changes in sample preparation were required; the instrumental conditions were selected to effect a suitable chromatographic separation and detection of the analytes. Validation experiments were performed to verify the performance and applicability of the extended method for the quantitative screening of the original and additional analytes in veal liver in the concentration range from 0.5 to 2.0 microg/kg. The limits of detection were 0.08-0.19 microg/kg. The limits of quantitation were 0.27-0.64 microg/kg. Recoveries were 29-67%. Combined relative measurement uncertainty estimates were 6-21%.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.