Determination of Penicillins in Milk by a Dual-Optrode Biosensor

Penicillins are the most frequently found antibiotic residues in milk, as they are commonly used for the treatment of bacterial infections in cows. In the present study, we introduce a method for the rapid detection of penicillin residues in raw milk based on the determination of glucose concentration in milk with a dual flow-through biosensor. The molar concentration of glucose in milk is typically over 500 times lower than the concentration of lactose and is highly dependent on the rate of lactose hydrolysis, which is catalyzed by alpha-galactosidase. Glucose concentrations in milk change with variation in the alpha-galactosidase activity. alpha-Galactosidase is an enzyme produced in the microbiota in milk and its activity is inhibited by benzylpenicillin. Spiking milk with benzylpenicillin lowers glucose concentrations in comparison to high-quality milk after short storage intervals. The presence of penicillin in the milk of treated animals resulted in decreased glucose concentrations in comparison with high-quality milk that contained no antibiotics. The glucose concentration in milk samples was followed by the system enabling the elimination of the effects of bacterial respiration in the output with reliable results in less than 1 min.