Certification of the 17alpha-trenbolone mass concentration in lyophilised bovine liver reference materials BCR-474 (trenbolne free) and BCR-475 (trenbolone positive)

Report (2002)

Detection of illegal growth promoters in biological samples using receptor binding assays

in Analytica Chimica Acta (2002), 473(1-2), 135-141

In the European Union (EU), the use of growth-promoting substances in meat production is banned. The control of growth promoters, especially steroid hormones, is presently based on expensive and time ... [more ▼]

In the European Union (EU), the use of growth-promoting substances in meat production is banned. The control of growth promoters, especially steroid hormones, is presently based on expensive and time-consuming chromatographic methods of analysis or, sometimes, for screening purposes, on radio- or enzyme-immunoassays, all of which are often too specific to allow effective multi-analyte control. In order to develop rapid and inexpensive multi-analyte detection tests, we proposed the use of hormonal receptors as detection tools. The system described here (radio-receptor assays) is based on a direct bindin g assay of steroid hormones to their respective receptors. Human receptors to estrogens (hERalpha), androgens (hAR), progestagens (hPR) and glucocorticoids (hGR) have been produced by genetic engineering in bacteria or in eucaryotic cells. Binding analyses revealed that the obtained receptor proteins retained a high affinity for their corresponding native ligand. In addition, competition studies continued that each of the four receptors displays a specificity profile for a series of analogs in agreement with the literature. Finally, the stability of these recombinant receptors is sufficient to allow their use in test kits. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

Assesment of the situation, three years later, on 'the Belgian Dioxin Crisis'. Probable impact on the health of the Belgian population

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (2002), 146(6, DEC-JAN), 321-327

In January 1999, Belgium encounters an accidental contamination of the food chain, which was named "the Belgian Dioxin Crisis". The aim of the present review is to estimate the impact of this crisis on ... [more ▼]

In January 1999, Belgium encounters an accidental contamination of the food chain, which was named "the Belgian Dioxin Crisis". The aim of the present review is to estimate the impact of this crisis on public health. Currently, it does not really exist any exhaustive epidemiological study. Various scientific studies actually report somewhat conflicting results. As an example, concerning the population living in Wallonia, recorded dioxin levels are not higher than background levels reported for other industrialized countries, despite the 1999 "dioxin crisis". Conversely, based on levels measured in foodstuffs collected by the end of the crisis period, the dioxin body burden of potential consumers would have increased in the range of 40 to 75 %. The real impact of this crisis on consumers' health could thus only be estimated through well structured epidemiological campaigns. [less ▲]

Primary Extraction Technologies

in O'Keefe, Michael (Ed.) Residue Analysis in Food - Principles and Applications (2000)

La pollution de la chaîne alimentaire par la dioxine

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (1999), 143

Identification des vaches laitières traitées à la somatotropine bovine

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (1997), 141(5), 381-390

Antipeptide antibody against the bovine IGF-BP-2 : application to the detection of BST-treated cows

in Food & Agricultural Immunology (1996), 8

Method of detection and surveillance of natural sex steroid hormones

in Proceedings of the Scientific Conference on Growth Promotion in Meat Production (1995)

Control of the Illegal Administration of Natural Steroid Hormones in the Plasma of Bulls and Heifers

in Analyst (1994), 119(12), 2639-44

In the context of the control of the illegal administration of natural steroid hormones in cattle husbandry, an attempt was made to establish the decision levels for sex steroid hormones in the plasma of ... [more ▼]

In the context of the control of the illegal administration of natural steroid hormones in cattle husbandry, an attempt was made to establish the decision levels for sex steroid hormones in the plasma of adult cattle, taking into account the effect of the treatment. Bulls and heifers were treated with two injections, at a two week interval, of an estradiol-testosterone cocktail. Steroid hormone and biochemical precursor concentrations were measured in plasma samples by using specific radioimmunoassays, before and after the treatment. When the treatment significantly (p < 0.05) modified a hormone concentration, a decision level was established for that hormone concentration. At each decision level, a score was assigned that represented the percentage of treated animals detected when the decision limit was applied. For heifers, 17 beta-estradiol and testosterone concentrations in plasma, which increased after the treatment, are the best criteria to use to detect treated animals, with decision limits of 20 pg ml-1 and 125 pg ml-1, respectively. In the instance of bulls, both testosterone and steroid biochemical precursor concentrations decreased in the plasma after the treatment. We proposed decision limits of 1500 pg ml-1 and 28 pg ml-1 for testosterone and androstenedione concentrations, respectively, the bulls displaying concentrations below these limits being positive. We observed that the repetition of the injection increased the score of the decision limit. The scores for testosterone are 70%, 14d after the first injection and 100% 14 d after the second injection, and for androstenedione, these scores are 60 and 100%, respectively. [less ▲]

Control of the illegal administration of natural steroid hormones in urine and tissues of veal calves and in plasma of bulls

in Analytica Chimica Acta (1993), 275(1-2), 57-74