Quick Identification in 10 minutes! Handheld Raman spectrometer reveals antibiotic residues in milk

In recent years, with the widespread use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, the problem of antibiotic residues has become increasingly prominent, among which the residue of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (such as cipro-floxacin) in milk is particularly worrying. Long term consumption of milk containing antibiotic residues can pose potential hazards to human health, such as developing drug resistance and affecting children's growth and development.

It is crucial to detect antibiotic residues in milk in a timely manner in order to ensure food safety. Traditional detection methods, such as high-performance liquid chromatography, although highly sensitive, are complex to operate and time-consuming, making it difficult to meet the needs of rapid detection. To address this issue, the authentication technology research team has developed a rapid detection method for cipro-floxacin in milk based on a handheld Raman spectrometer, providing a new technological means for food safety supervision.

This method first uses protein precipitation to treat milk samples, and then mixes the supernatant with gold nanoparticles for detection using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technology. The handheld Raman spectrometer has the advantages of portability, simple operation, and fast detection speed, and can complete the entire detection process in just 10 minutes.

Researchers used this method to detect milk samples, and the results showed that the characteristic peak of cipro-floxacin was at 1266 cm-1, and its intensity was linearly related to the concentration of cipro-floxacin. The detection limit of this method is 0.25 ug/mL, which is comparable to laboratory techniques and can meet practical detection needs. Compared with traditional detection methods, this method has the following advantages:

Fast and efficient: The entire detection process only takes 10 minutes, which can meet the needs of rapid detection.
Easy to operate: No complex sample pretreatment steps are required, and the operation is simple and easy to learn.
Strong portability: The handheld Raman spectrometer is compact in size, easy to carry, and can be used for on-site testing.
Low cost: Compared with traditional methods, this method has a lower cost and is more suitable for large-scale applications.

Food safety is closely related to people's livelihoods, and the issue of antibiotic residues cannot be ignored. Handheld Raman spectrometer, as a fast and convenient detection technology, plays an important role in the field of food safety supervision, safeguarding public health.