Overview
ISO 23883:2026 specifies a standardized method for determining fluoroquinolone residue content in meat, fish, and their products using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). This international standard enables food laboratories, regulatory authorities, and industry stakeholders to identify and quantify residues of key fluoroquinolones, including enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and pefloxacin in samples derived from livestock, poultry, and aquaculture.
Fluoroquinolones are widely used as veterinary drugs in food animal production for controlling bacterial infections. However, their residues in food products can pose health risks and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. To address these concerns, ISO 23883:2026 outlines a reliable and validated method for trace-level detection of fluoroquinolone residues, supporting compliance with food safety regulations and trade requirements.
Key Topics
- Target Compounds: Enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and pefloxacin residues in meat and fish products.
- Analytical Principle: Extraction with acidified acetonitrile, purification by n-hexane, and quantification using HPLC-MS/MS with internal standard calibration.
- Sample Preparation: Homogenization and blank testing to ensure accurate results.
- Limit of Detection: Method provides high sensitivity essential for regulatory monitoring.
- Precision and Reproducibility: Established through collaborative interlaboratory testing, ensuring results are consistent and comparable across different laboratories.
- Reporting: Clear requirements for documentation, including all relevant analysis details, calculation references, deviations, and observations.
Applications
The ISO 23883:2026 standard delivers significant practical value across multiple areas:
- Food Safety Compliance: Enables testing laboratories and food industry stakeholders to assure that products meet established maximum residue limits (MRLs) for fluoroquinolones, supporting public health protection.
- Regulatory Monitoring: Assists government agencies and food inspectors in enforcing food safety regulations, preventing the distribution of contaminated products.
- International Trade: Provides a harmonized analytical method accepted globally, reducing technical barriers to trade in meat and fish products.
- Research and Quality Assurance: Supports research institutions and quality control laboratories in studying residue occurrence, improving farming practices, and validating internal quality control processes.
The method's high selectivity and sensitivity ensure accurate quantification of multiple fluoroquinolones in complex biological matrices, including muscle, liver, and processed meat or fish products.
Related Standards
For laboratories implementing ISO 23883:2026, the following standards and guidelines are also relevant:
- ISO 3696 - Water for analytical laboratory use - Specification and test methods: Ensures the purity of water used in residue analysis.
- ISO 5725-2 - Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results - Part 2: Determination of repeatability and reproducibility: Governs quality and precision of measurement methods.
- CAC/GL 50-2004 - General guidelines on sampling: Provides guidance for sampling methods ensuring representative and uncontaminated samples.
By following ISO 23883:2026 and related standards, food analysis laboratories can achieve reliable, reproducible, and internationally recognized results in fluoroquinolone residue testing.
Keywords: ISO 23883:2026, fluoroquinolone residue, meat testing, fish residue analysis, HPLC-MS/MS, food safety, veterinary drug residues, international standards, laboratory methods, regulatory compliance