Determination of aminoglycosides and quinolones in food using tandem mass spectrometry: A review

The widespread use of antibiotics in dairy cattle management may result in the presence of antibiotic residues in food. While rapid screening tests are commonly used to detect the presence of antibiotics in food, more accurate chromatographic-mass spectrometric methods combined with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) are required to determine the identity and quantity of the antibiotic present. These methods (HPLC/MS/MS) may have the greatest potential for accomplishing direct multi-residue identifications in complex biological matrices, such as food. This study reviews recent applications of tandem mass spectrometry in the determination of antibiotic residues, such as aminoglycosides and quinolones in food.