Analysis of nitrofuran metabolites in food by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection.

A reliable and sensitive procedure is presented for the analysis of nitrofuran metabolite residues in foods of animal origin, like poultry and shrimp. The method is based on a one-step extraction/derivatization, followed by solid-phase extraction clean-up with polymeric phase cartridges. The separations were carried out by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectroscopy detection. Results from the full validation of the procedure and from a survey of food available from the Swiss market, with the analysis of 236 samples of shrimp, poultry, fish and rabbit, are presented and demonstrate that this method is satisfactory in order to control nitrofuran residues in foods of animal origin.