Neogen Develops Quickest Single Test for Beta-Lactams and Tetracyclines in Milk

The BetaStar Combo test method is easy to use and is also very rugged—making the test effective for use in the milk receiving laboratory, on the truck, or even at the farm level.

28/04/09 Neogen Corporation has expanded its line of products developed for the worldwide dairy industry to include the quickest single test available to simultaneously detect beta-lactam and tetracycline antibiotic residues in milk.

Developed to comply with the European Union’s maximum residue levels, Neogen’s new BetaStar Combo utilizes the same format as the popular BetaStar assay—an extremely easy lateral flow test that requires only minimal training and equipment to produce consistently accurate results. At just 5 minutes, BetaStar Combo is the fastest assay for beta-lactams and tetracyclines in a single test.

“As the use of both tetracycline and beta-lactam antibiotics for the management of mastitis in dairy herds has grown in certain regions of the world, the need for a single test to simultaneously detect both groups of antibiotics has also grown,” said Ed Bradley, Neogen’s vice president of Food Safety. “Developing BetaStar Combo allows us to offer the worldwide dairy industry yet another simple solution to protect its consumers and businesses. Neogen can now offer the dairy industry rapid, easy tests to detect either beta-lactam or tetracycline antibiotics, or both at the same time, in the same simple test format.”

The BetaStar Combo test method is easy to use and is also very rugged—making the test effective for use in the milk receiving laboratory, on the truck, or even at the farm level.

The tetracycline group of antibiotics is not as widely used as the beta-lactam group; therefore, testing for tetracycline residues in milk is not as widespread. The European Union has set a maximum residue level of 100 parts per billion for tetracyclines in milk and Neogen expects the strongest initial interest for its BetaStar Combo product from EU countries, where tetracyclines are more widely used for treatment of mastitis.

Earlier this year, Neogen received approval from the FDA and National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) for its quick and easy BetaStar US test for dairy antibiotics in milk. This approval allows milk producers and processors in the United States to use Neogen’s new test to comply with FDA regulations that require the mandatory testing of milk for dairy antibiotics. BetaStar US had previously earned an important approval from the AOAC Research Institute (AOAC-RI No. 030802) after rigorous testing.