Thermal stability of ivermectin residues during milk processing

IEZZI, S.; IMPERIALE, F.; LIFSCHITZ, A.; LANUSSE, C.

Tandil, Pcia. Bs. As.

Congreso; XL Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Farmacología Experimental; 2008

Sociedad Argentina de Farmacología Experimental

Ivermectin (IVM) is broad-spectrum macrocyclic lactone (ML) antiparasitic drug extensively used in food-producing animals. The pattern of milk residue excretion for different ML compounds has been recently determined in our laboratory. The current trial addressed the evaluation of the stability of residual IVM concentrations in milk under conditions of heating treatment during milk processing. IVM concentrations were measured in milk using an HPLC-based methodology with fluorescence detection. IVM (0.1-20 ng/ml) was added to drug-free milk samples collected from untreated lactating cows. Milk samples with drug added were heated at 65ºC for 30 minutes (pasteurization). IVM concentrations were measured prior and after the heating process. The results obtained indicated that no significant changes in the IVM residue profiles were observed after thermal treatment. The variation observed in heated milk residual concentration was within the range of the analytical method. The impact of these residual drug concentrations in milk-derived product on human safety and industrial processing are under evaluation.