Antibiotic residues in milk from Moldavia, Romania

The present paper is a study based on the determination of antibiotic residues in milk samples collected from farms in the NE Romania (Moldavia). Contamination seasonality and the correlations with SCC and TBC values were investigated. Out of 2785 total milk samples, 124 were positive (+) (4.45%) and 130 samples were uncertain (±) (4.67%). The presence of antibiotics was confirmed in 109 positive (+) samples (87.9%) and 24 uncertain (±) samples (18.46%), the difference being false-positive reactions. Betalactams were identified in 27.90% of the samples, at an average concentration of 26.65 µg/kg. Gentamicin/neomycin were identified in 25% of samples, at an average concentration of 198.68 µg gentamicin/kg and 2048.53 µg neomycin/kg. Tetracyclines were identified in 24.42% of the samples, at an average concentration of 271.43 µg/kg. Gentamicin/streptomycin were identified in 15.11% of the samples, at an average concentrations of 198.68 µg gentamicin/kg and 280.61 µg streptomycin/kg. The macrolides were identified in 7.56% of the samples, at an average concentration of 97.87 µg tylosin/kg. The antibiotic contamination of milk was low in January (csi = 0.51) and July (csi = 0.59), and increased in April (csi = 1.77) and May (csi = 1.43). The milk contamination with antibiotics was associated with increased SCC and TBC values.