Researchers from Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR) developed a proverbial thermometer to insert into the kidneys of slaughtered cattle. Within a few minutes they know whether and which antibiotics are in that tissue. This development is a first step to simplify control of antibiotics in tissues.
‘We take advantage of it blades‘, explains researcher Josha Jager (WFSR). These are small metal strips with a coating on the surface that resemble a miniature two-inch sword. ‘We put it in the kidney of a slaughtered cattle. We can then directly insert the sword with the kidney fluid that we remove from the tissue into a prototype connection of the mass spectrometer. It measures within one minute whether and which antibiotics are in the tissue.’
This is useful for, for example, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, which, among other things, checks whether meat complies with European legislation.
Sampling of beef kidneys with the sword. Source: Jager et al.
Quick
The way this is currently tested takes a relatively long time. Jager does not dare to say exactly how long it will take. ‘That depends on many factors, but the process now consists of different phases and steps, sometimes with long incubation times. First they screen the animal tissue, microbiologically if possible. If an abnormal result is obtained, additional research is carried out using chromatography and mass spectrometry.’
Tissues must first be prepared for this additional research. “That means that we have to homogenize organs by grinding,” Jager explains. ‘You can extract substances from the resulting mixture, isolate them and then measure them. Now we can do our blade insert it into an intact organ and then analyze the substances present.’ It’s almost as simple as sticking a thermometer in somewhere.
Jager: ‘To really apply the technology in practical inspections, we still need to conduct further research. Especially to be able to determine how much of each substance is present in the tissue. This is necessary for practical application for enforcement purposes.’
Accurate
The mass spectrometer that Jager is talking about separates particles – using current – from each other based on their mass and charge. The output is a graph with all peaks. These peaks are compared with reference values of known substances, from which researchers can deduce which substance is present in the sample.
‘This technique gives us extra specificity; we can separate substances from the background substances from the kidney. Not as much as with chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, but much more than if, for example, we could put milk or meat directly into the mass spectrometer. Then you see one peak of everything together. And it’s super fast – sampling the animal tissue for results can be done within five minutes.’
The sword technique has broader applicability than analyzing bovine kidneys for antibiotics. Applications have been developed by other researchers to measure the authenticity of honey or the presence of pesticides in fruit. Jager: ‘Other research institutes are also testing this technique for other fabrics and types of tissues. Unfortunately, we are not there yet: the technology must meet the requirements of food safety legislation.’
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(in a dry, witty tone, a la Jimmy Carr) Ah, the cutting-edge world of bovine kidney analysis. Because, you know, that’s exactly what the world was missing. A quick and easy way to check if your beef is on antibiotics. I mean, who doesn’t love a good game of ” antibiotic roulette” with their steak?
But seriously, folks, this is actually quite impressive. Researchers at Wageningen Food Safety Research have developed a clever little device that can detect antibiotics in cattle kidneys in just a few minutes. No more waiting around for days to find out if your meat is safe to eat. Although, if you’re eating meat that’s been sitting around for days, you might want to rethink your life choices.
(Rowan Atkinson-esque awkward pause) Now, I know what you’re thinking. “How does it work?” Well, it’s quite simple really. They just stick a little metal strip, affectionately known as a “blade,” into the kidney of a slaughtered cow. Then, they insert the blade into a mass spectrometer, which is essentially a fancy machine that separates particles based on their mass and charge. And voilà! You get a nice graph with peaks that tell you which antibiotics are present.
(Ricky Gervais-style sarcasm) Oh, I can just imagine the excitement in the lab when they first tested this thing. “Yes! We’ve done it! We can now detect antibiotics in cow kidneys in under 5 minutes! Our lives will never be the same!” I mean, I’m sure it’s a real thrill-ride, folks.
(Lee Evans-style enthusiasm) But seriously, this is a big deal. The current method of testing for antibiotics takes a relatively long time, and this new device could revolutionize the way we ensure our food is safe to eat. And it’s not just limited to beef kidneys. This technology could be used to test for all sorts of things, like the authenticity of honey or the presence of pesticides in fruit.
(Jimmy Carr-style deadpan) So, there you have it. The future of food safety is here, and it’s all thanks to a little metal strip and a fancy machine. Who knew that the key to a safer food supply was a device that sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi movie? “Insert blade into cow kidney. Activate mass spectrometer. Wait for results. Repeat as necessary.” Yeah, that’s not ominous at all.
(winking at the audience) Anyway, that’s all for today, folks. I hope you found this article informative and entertaining. And remember, if you’re ever in doubt about the safety of your food, just stick a blade in it and see what happens. (pausing for comedic effect) Just kidding. Don’t do that. That’s not how it works at all.
