Effect of food processing (fish burger preparation and frying) on residual levels of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.

The influence of fish burger preparation and frying on residual levels of enrofloxacin (ENR) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) was evaluated. For this purpose, a high-throughput liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analytical method for the quantitation of ENR and CIP residues in tilapia products (fillet, raw fish burger and fried fish burger) was developed and validated based on European and Brazilian guidelines. Sample preparation was accomplished by extraction with acidified acetonitrile followed by clean-up with hexane. Chromatographic analysis was performed on a C18 column using isocratic elution with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile (85:15 v:v). The analytical method showed suitable performance to quantify the residual levels of ENR and CIP in the studied matrices. No reduction in the residual levels of ENR and CIP was observed during fish burger preparation and only a 10% reduction occurred as a consequence of frying, indicating that both compounds were stable to the preparation of the fish burger and to frying conditions.