12 January 2010

CIFT validates ubio quickVET Chloramphenicol test for rapid screening of aquatic products

Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), the leading fisheries institute in India, has validated the quickVET Chloramphenicol tests for aquatic products introduced by ubio Biotechnology Systems Pvt Ltd. The product is used to detect Chloramphenicol residues in shrimp, fish and crab products in just 10 minutes, without expensive instrumentation. The test is targeted at food processing industries, shrimp/fish farms, exporters and goverment authorities who need to make sure that traces of Chloramphenicol are not present in the products that they deal with. In the tests conducted at CIFT, the test proved effective at detecting Chloramphenicol at levels as low as 0.2ppb, making it an ideal tool for point-of-purchase testing, product screening and surveillance.

Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used as a bacteriostatic antimicrobial, which is sometimes used in shrimp-farms to prevent diseases. Usage above prescribed levels can be harmful for humans consuming the meat of shrimp/fish containing the antibiotic. The most serious adverse effect in people is an irreversible suppression of the blood-forming cells (aplastic anemia). Due to the side-effects, most developed countries have banned the sale of products containing even traces of Chloramphenicol.