Biotin Supplementation Interference in Health Diagnostic Testing

Biotin Supplementation Interference in Health Diagnostic Testing

Continuing our theme of Biotin (Vitamin B7) this month, we turn our attention to its role in diagnostic testing.

With as many as 20% of people taking biotin-containing supplements, including high profile celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Vanessa Hudgens, it is important to know the effects it can have on particular blood tests, should you visit your GP or local hospital.

Whilst there are various diagnostic health tests out there, including fertility hormone tests, prostate tests, and tests for troponin – a marker released into the blood during a heart attack – that are known to be affected by elevated levels of biotin, there are other tests available, including those provided by Randox, that are not impacted.

The reason that so many non-Randox tests are impacted by biotin is that biotin is widely used throughout the biotechnology industry in the development of diagnostic tests.

ELISA tests in particular (tests that measure the reaction of antibodies to identify a substance) often make use of antibodies labelled with biotin, to detect toxins or other foreign substances within the body.

In most instances, the biotin will bind with high affinity to a protein called streptavidin. This affinity of streptavidin for biotin is the strongest non-covalent biological interaction known, and is therefore particularly useful in binding antibodies within diagnostic tests.

But with more and more people exceeding the recommended daily dosage for biotin (30 micrograms) by taking up to 10,000 micrograms of biotin in supplements marketed for beauty reasons, many diagnostic tests are being measured inaccurately. Excess biotin in the blood can block the binding of biotin-labelled antibodies to streptavidin within the tests, and the substance being tested won’t be measured accurately.

Laboratory professionals have known about this potential problem for some time. In late November 2017, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) published a safety notice to make the public and healthcare practitioners more aware that biotin can “significantly interfere with certain lab tests and cause incorrect test results.”

The FDA even reported on one particular case in which a patient died following falsely low troponin (marker of a heart attack) results when the troponin test used was known to have biotin interference. Biotin supplements masked the true diagnosis of a heart attack.

Many patients taking biotin supplements have also been misdiagnosed with a condition called Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition characterised by an overactive thyroid. In these cases, biotin supplementation led to falsely low levels of thyroid stimulating hormones, and falsely high levels of other thyroid hormones. This particular profile of hormones led to a Graves’ disease diagnosis, in spite of a lack of symptoms, which in Graves’ disease would usually include muscle weakness, a quickened heartbeat, sleeping problems, diarrhoea, weight loss and poor tolerance of heat.

In pregnant women, tests that are impacted by biotin interference may produce falsely low levels of beta HCG, more commonly known as the ‘pregnancy hormone’ as it released by the placenta after conception. With low levels of beta HCG, and therefore no confirmation of pregnancy, pregnant women could be exposed to X-rays and CT scans that may harm the developing foetus.

So, what can be done? Suggestions have been made that patients taking biotin supplements should be made to wait before any diagnostic testing is conducted, so that the biotin clears from their system.

But this “Wait and Watch” approach certainly would not work in emergencies. In the case of a heart attack, testing must be conducted as soon as possible to allow for diagnosis, immediate medical intervention and follow-up testing.

At Randox, we are convinced that the risk of analytic interference by biotin supplementation is a serious problem that needs to be more widely recognised and promptly addressed.

In the GP setting, general practitioners must ask their patients if they are taking any biotin supplements and inform the testing laboratory if interference from biotin is a possibility. They should also consider that lab results not matching with a patient’s signs and symptoms may be caused by biotin interference.

In the acute care setting however, it is imperative that biotin technology is not used in diagnostic testing to protect patients from misdiagnosis and subsequently, further health problems.

This is why Randox’s patented Biochip Array Technology does not use biotin technology in its development. This revolutionary methodology, free from Biotin-Streptavidin is not impacted by elevated levels of biotin from biotin supplementation in the same way as Biotin-Streptavidin tests.

So if you have been taking biotin supplements for hair or nail growth, to ease symptoms associated with Multiple Sclerosis, for epilepsy or for a range of other health conditions, and your diagnostic testing has been conducted using Randox Biochip Array Technology, you can rest assured of true, accurate, and reliable results.

Randox Biochip Array Technology is interference-proof.

For further information on the Randox Biochip, visit https://www.randox.com/multiplex-testing/

For any additional questions, please contact Randox PR by email: randoxpr@randox.com or by phoning 028 9442 2413

 

 

 

 

 


Introducing the EveryBusiness Offering from Randox Health

Absenteeism has long been a problem in business.  There are a variety of reasons why employees may be absent but one of the most common is illness. Employees lose an average of 30.4 working days a year due to sickness or underperforming at work due to ill health, according to research by VitalityHealth.

Its 2017 Britain’s Healthiest Workplace report, which surveyed 31,950 employees, found that productive working days lost due to physical and mental health issues cost the UK economy approximately £77.5 billion a year.

At Randox Health, we’re aiming to change the statistics and help employees to live healthier for longer. Our innovative health checks can detect disease and irregularity at the earliest stage, allowing lifestyle changes to be made now when potential illness can still be reversed.

Having a healthier workforce, conscious of how their lifestyle choices are affecting them, has been proven to encourage productivity and decrease absenteeism. Poor employee productivity is just as damaging to the workplace economy as absenteeism. One of the main causes of low productivity is poor health.

Take care of your staff with an Everybusiness programme at Randox Health. The gift of health is invaluable and will not only allow employees to enjoy the benefits of the world’s most comprehensive health programme available, but will also save your business time and money.

Our health checks are the most advanced blood screening packages available in the world as we use our patented Biochip Array Technology. Using this technology, hundreds of individual blood tests can be carried out on a single sample, allowing you to have truly unrivalled knowledge about your health both now and in the future.

We specialise in wellbeing, assessing up to 350 elements of your body and allowing early identification of illness before problems develop.

For more information on the EveryBusiness offering from Randox Health, please contact info@randoxhealth.com or phone 0800 2545 130.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Antibodies & Human Recombinant Proteins

Randox Biosciences is a world-leading primary manufacturer of high quality monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, antibody fragments and human recombinant proteins. Our team of scientists possess unrivalled expertise which enables us to provide you with a comprehensive suite of products and services dedicated to advancing biopharmaceutical research and diagnostics.

Product Portfolio

Randox Biosciences offers an extensive portfolio of over 900 products for a multitude of R&D applications including more than 500 monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and over 140 human recombinant proteins as well as antibody fragments, buffers & diluents and plasma.

Monoclonal Antibodies

  • Biochemical markers: Biochemical messengers, fatty acid binding proteins and products with applications in the following therapeutic areas; cardiovascular/cerebrovascular and metabolic/Nutrition
  • Drugs of abuse: Alcohol, anti-depressants, barbituates, hallucinogens, opiates, stimulants
  • Drug Residues: antimicrobial drugs, growth promoters, mycotoxins

Polyclonal Antibodies 

  • Biochemical markers: Biochemical messengers, fatty acid binding proteins and products with applications in the following therapeutic areas; Immunology, Oncology, Cardiovascular/Cerebrovascular and Metabolic/Nutrition
  • Drugs of abuse: Alcohol, Analgesics, Anti‑depressants, Barbituates, Benzodiazepines, Hallucinogens, Opiates, Sedatives, Stimulants, Synthetic Drugs, Therapeutic drugs
  • Drug Residues: Anti-inflammatory Drugs, Antimicrobial Drugs, Anti-Parasitic Drugs, Growth Promoters, Mycotoxins

Recombinant Antibody Fragments

  • Single chain variable fragment (scFvs)
  • Single domain antibodies (sdAbs)

Frozen Human Plasma

  • Available in three formats (Male, Female and Mixed Gender)
  • Highly screened for; HIV, Hepatitis B+C, HTLV I + II, Syphilis, CMV and Procleix WNV

Human Recombinant Proteins (E.Coli & Mammalian)

  • Adhesion Molecules
  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines
  • Proteases
  • Tumour markers

Buffers & Diluents

  • Complementary range available

Key Features & Benefits

  • All products manufactured at our ISO 13485 accredited UK manufacturing plant
  • Product range of over 900 products
  • 30 years’ experience in raw material manufacture and assay development
  • Many unique and novel products including designer drugs, Mycotoxins and oncology markers
  • As our host animals are sheep, our antibodies have higher sensitivity and specificity
  • Excellent reproducibility between lot numbers
  • Products reflect the components used in-house in the production of Randox diagnostic products and research programs
  • Highly experienced in developing difficult targets (i.e. small molecules and novel biomarkers)
  • Full customisation service available
  • A range of pack sizes available including bulk quantities for commercial development
  • Products can be used in a multitude

Custom Development Services

To meet your precise requirements, Randox Biosciences offer customised antibody generation services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Our custom development service, which encompasses antibodies and human recombinant proteins has achieved tremendous success within the biopharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. Key components of our custom service are our range of monoclonal antibodies as well as our recombinant antibody fragments (sdAbs, scFvs, fAbs).

Our customisation service has proven incredibly successful in the research and development industries allowing access our expertise to obtain the antibody and protein most relevant to your line of work. With over 300 highly trained research scientists and over 30 years’ experience in commercial assay development, Randox Biosciences can also provide a tailor-made assay development service to meet your specifications in both a timely and cost-effective manner.

For more information contact: info@Randoxbiosciences.com

 

 

 


Health Theme August 2018: The role of Biotin / Vitamin B7

How much do you know about Biotin? Taken by a wealth of celebrities including Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Vanessa Hudgens for its hair and nail-strengthening properties, this vitamin has grown in popularity in recent years.

Commonly known as Vitamin B7, Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin found in bodily enzymes which metabolise fat and carbohydrates.

It therefore plays an important role in cell growth and in maintaining a steady blood sugar level, and also assists in various reactions, including the movement of carbon dioxide around the body. It is often recommended as a dietary supplement for strengthening hair and nails, and as such is often found in many cosmetics and health products for the hair and skin.

Due to its key role within the body, the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) recommends a dose of 30 micrograms of biotin each day, from a range of food sources including beef or pork, egg, yeast, whole wheat bread, avocado, salmon, cauliflower or cheese. Raw egg whites however contain a particular protein that blocks the absorption of biotin, so people who regularly consume a large number of eggs may become biotin-deficient.

Those suffering from biotin deficiency disorders therefore are often prescribed biotin supplements – up to as much as 300 milligrams per day for Multiple Sclerosis patients, for whom the B group vitamins are vital in managing symptoms. Biotin in particular is very useful in cases of progress MS because it supports nerve cell metabolism.

There are also some inherited metabolic disorders which, due to a deficiency in the enzymes which process biotin, prevent the body’s cells from using it effectively.

Usually, however, biotin deficiency occurs simply from an absence of the vitamin in the diet, particularly in breastfeeding mothers. Symptoms of deficiency include:

  • Conjunctivitis
  • Dermatitis in the form of a scaly red rash
  • Neurological symptoms in adults including depression, lethargy, hallucination, numbness and tingling of the extremities
  • Brittle and thin fingernails
  • Hair loss (alopecia)

Supplements may also be recommended to those suffering from alcoholism, patients who have had partial removal of their stomach, burn patients, epileptics, elderly individuals, athletes, and pregnant women, who have a higher risk of biotin deficiency. It is estimated that as many as 20% of people consume Biotin-containing supplements.

While biotin supplements may help pregnant women and some people with other health disorders, it is of course incredibly important to eat a balanced and healthy diet that includes all the vitamins and minerals necessary for normal body function.

Take time to consider how you can incorporate appropriate and safe amounts of biotin into your daily diet.

For further information, please contact Randox PR by email: randoxpr@randox.com or by phoning 028 9442 2413

 

 

 

 

 


Renal Testing on the Randox Evidence Series

The Evidence Series of Immunoassay analysers consists of four revolutionary Biochip Array Technology platforms including the Evidence, Evolution, MulitSTAT and Investigator. These analysers can be used in multiple applications including; Clinical Diagnostics, Drug Development, Forensic Toxicology, Food Diagnostics, Academic Research and Veterinary Testing.

Powered by Biochip Array Technology (BAT), the Evidence series is a precise multiplex testing platform allowing for the simultaneous quantitative or qualitative detection of a wide range of analytes from a single sample.

It provides a unique platform for assessment of biological samples in a rapid, accurate and easy to use format.

Based on ELISA principles, the biochip is a solid-state device with discrete test sites onto which antibodies specific to different targets are immobilised and stabilised. Competitive chemiluminescent immunoassays are then employed, offering a highly sensitive screen.

Biochip Array Technology uniquely offers immunoassay diagnostic testing for simultaneous multi-analyte biomarker detection. After addition of a single patient sample to the biochip, analytes present in the sample bind to the specific biochip bound ligands. The degree of binding is determined using a chemiluminescent light source and quantified using a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera and imaging system.

Each biochip has up to 49 Discrete Test Regions (DTR’s) each detecting a different biomarker. This means that up to 44 tests can be carried out simultaneously. The additional DTR’s are reserved for internal quality control and visual reference, a unique Biochip Array Technology feature.

Drug Toxicity

Our Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) panel can help in the application of patient safety monitoring in the detection of drug toxicity during the clinical trial phases. The detection of drug toxicity in the early stages of a clinical trial is critical to ensure not only patient safety but also saves valuable time and resources in drug development. This is also important in saving valuable research funding with phase I, II & III costing upwards of $30-40 Million1.

Acute Kidney Injury

  • Osteopontin – OPN
  • Serum creatinine – Creatinine
  • Serum cystatin-C – Cystatin-C
  • Kidney injury Molecule-I – KIM-I
  • Urinary neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin – NGAL

Randox’s AKI panel is available as a single sample test on our Biochip Array Technology on our Evidence Investigator Immunoassay Analyser. With a throughput of up to 2376 test per hour, the Evidence Investigator is the perfect platform to detect Acute Kidney Injury, a strong indicator of early stage drug toxicity.

The importance of Renal testing has become ever more prevalent due to the increase of several factors that can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD) with more evidence demonstrating that AKI can initiate the development or accelerate the progression of CKD2. CKD affects 1 in 10 people worldwide and is incurable, causing patients to need lifelong care3. According to the National Kidney Foundation, the two main causes of CKD are Diabetes and high blood pressure.4. The World Health Organisation estimated that 8.5% of adults aged 18 years and older had diabetes in 2014 and of the 422 million people in the world with type 1 and 2 diabetes, 20-30% will develop diabetic nephropathy, also known as diabetic kidney disease – the leading cause of renal failure in the world5. With this in mind it is vitally important to get tested right away especially if you suffer from diabetes, hypertension or have a family history of kidney failure. Our CKD 7-plex and 4-plex arrays developed in collaboration with National University of Galway demonstrate that a multi-marker approach holds promise for early CKD detection, discrimination of progressive CKD stages and prediction of renal decline.

Chronic Kidney Disease I:

  • Fatty Acid Binding Protein I – FABPI
  • Soluble Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor I – sTNFR I
  • Soluble Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor II – sTNFR II
  • Macrophage Inflammatory Protein Iα – MIP-Iα
  • Interleukin-8 – IL-8
  • Epidermal Growth Factor – EGF
  • D-Dimer

Chronic Kidney Disease II:

  • Complement C3a Des Arginine – C3a des Arg
  • C-Reactive Protein – CRP
  • Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin – NGAL
  • Cystatin C

References

  1. (2018). How much do clinical trials for drugs cost?. [online] Available at: https://www.quora.com/How-much-do-clinical-trials-for-drugs-cost [Accessed 10 Jul. 2018].
  2. Hartung, T. (2018). Food for Thought Look Back in Anger – What Clinical Studies Tell Us About Preclinical Work. [online] PubMed Central (PMC). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3790571/ [Accessed 10 Jul. 2018].
  3. com. (2018). Chronic Kidney Disease: The Silent Killer – Path Medical. [online] Available at: https://pathmedical.com/ckd-the-silent-killer/ [Accessed 10 Jul. 2018].
  4. National Kidney Foundation. (2018). About Chronic Kidney Disease. [Online] Avaiable at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease [Accessed 10 Jul. 2018]
  5. World Health Organisation. (2018) Diabetes. [Online] Available at: http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes [Accessed 10 Jul. 2018]

For more information on any of the Evidence Series analysers, please visit https://www.randox.com/evidence-series/ or contact us evidenceseries@randox.com.

 

 

 


Randox pioneers health testing innovations at worldā€™s largest diagnostics conference

World-leading medical diagnostics manufacturer Randox Laboratories is this week showcasing advancements in biotechnology at the world’s largest diagnostics conference, being held in Chicago, Illinois.

The American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, known as the leading event for laboratory medicine worldwide, offers Randox the opportunity to showcase their capabilities to more than 20,000 healthcare professionals and decision makers from around the globe.

“Our pioneering diagnostic technologies are leading the way in innovation and have real potential to transform healthcare around the world,” said Randox Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald.

“At AACC we will be hosting demonstrations of a wide range of our intuitive multiplex analysers, including the revolutionary Randox Evidence Evolution, the world’s first fully automated random-access testing platform, capable of delivering 2640 results in one hour, with the first delivered in just 37 minutes.”

The unique and unrivalled capabilities of the Randox Evidence Evolution are made possible thanks to Randox’s patented Biochip Array Technology, which can currently run 49 different tests simultaneously – ensuring an accurate and reliable diagnosis as fast as possible.

Launching at this year’s AACC event are a number of exciting new tests on the Randox Biochip, the result of a £280 million investment in research and development. Including but not exclusive to a diagnostic test for the differentiation of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, an algorithm capable of generating a patient’s Type 1 Diabetes Genetic Risk Score, and a test to diagnose Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in the participants of pharmaceutical drug trials, these new tests all share the common goal of much earlier and effective diagnosis, to greatly improve healthcare outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare services.

Dr. FitzGerald continued;

“We remain committed to developing new health diagnostic technologies for a range of the world’s most pressing health issues in need of the most urgent address, and to expanding the business in our key markets, such as the US.

Our very significant investment in research and development means that we have more new tests in development than any other healthcare company in the world and are able each year to bring a wealth of exciting new technologies to the American market.

“We look forward to showcasing our latest innovations at this year’s AACC conference, and how they can be utilised to save, improve and extend lives through the earliest possible diagnosis. Randox technology can truly revolutionise the future of healthcare.”

AACC runs from the 29th July – 2nd August at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Randox can be found at booth #3624.

For further information visit aacc.randox.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sri Lanka taking measures to tackle the opium abuse crisis

Cannabis continues to be the most reported drug abused in Sri Lanka, however cannabis related offences have decreased from 66.2% to 61.9% in April – May 2018. Heroin is the second highest drug abused at 28.8% of those arrested in April and 35.9% of arrestees in May engaging in heroin related offences. Hashish, babul, madana modaka, opium, methamphetamine and tablets are other prevalent drugs abused in Sri Lankan drug related offences that have been noted. Although cannabis related crime has decreased, drug prevalence and drug related offences are increasing in the country. 

Sri Lanka has been taking measures to tackle the abuse of opium, cannabis and certain psychotropic substances since its independence in 1948. Opium is not cultivated in Sri Lanka, however over the past decade Sri Lanka has been used as a trans-shipment point for heroin from South West Asia and India to other destinations outside of the subcontinent. Heroin seized prior to reaching Sri Lanka is roughly two – three times the quantity of heroin seized in Sri Lanka itself.

Randox Toxicology are the leading manufacturer of the patented Biochip Array Technology (BAT). BAT is a precision multiplex testing platform allowing for the simultaneous quantitative or qualitative detection of a wide range of analytes from a single sample. After the addition of a sample to the biochip, analytes present in the sample bind to the specific biochip bound ligands. The degree of binding is determined using a chemiluminescent light source and quantified using a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera and imaging system.

Additionally, our range of immunoanalysers include the Evidence, the Evidence Evolution, the Evidence Investigator and the Evidence MultiSTAT which individually utilise our Biochip Array Technology for the screening of drugs of abuse. Our extensive toxicology test menu covers a broad range of classical, prescription, synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances. With multiple matrices available, Randox Toxicology are a global leader in the Toxicology market.

Randox Toxicology offer the most comprehensive Drugs of Abuse (DoA) test menu across multiple forensic matrices. Our DoA II panel can detect opium and generic opioids. Our level of expertise in toxicology research and development allows us to adapt quickly to ever changing market influences and develop assays for current and novel drug trends.

To find out more about the DoA II panel and our other available test menus, email info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit randoxtoxicology.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Randox announces mental health charities AWARE and Mind Your Mood as Official Charity Partners

Global healthcare company Randox Laboratories has today announced mental health charities AWARE and Mind Your Mood as its official charity partners for 2018/2019.

The main depression charity for Northern Ireland, AWARE has an established network of 24 support groups in rural and urban areas across the country, and also delivers mental health and well-being programmes into communities, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces.  Mind Your Mood is an initiative designed and managed by students at Ulster University to help break down the stigma of mental health and encourage students to access support.

Randox will be fundraising for the charities through a range of events and initiatives throughout the year, including individual staff fundraising activities, the company’s annual staff fun day, Randox Fest, and its popular Christmas Raffle.

Randox Founder and Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald, commented;

“Mindful of the significant impact of mental health issues on society, we are today announcing AWARE and Mind Your Mood as our charity partners for the year. Every one of us has been touched either directly or indirectly by these issues and it’s something we at Randox wish to help to address. We have for example invested significantly in research that will determine how problems with the digestive system can affect your mood, sleep and stress levels. We hope that our partnerships not only help those affected by mental ill-health across Northern Ireland, but also empower our Randox staff to take care of their own mental well-being.”

In addition to supporting AWARE and Mind Your Mood with fundraising events throughout the year, Randox has also committed to delivering mental health awareness sessions and mindfulness activities to its staff.

Inclusive of the introduction of the Mood Matters Workplace Programme, and the provision of dedicated Mental Health Mentors, Randox hopes to encourage staff to effectively manage their feelings when they’re stressed, worried or depressed, learn simple practical skills to help cope with their own challenges, and support their colleagues with theirs.

Clare Galbraith, Corporate Fundraising Officer for AWARE, commented;

“We’re delighted to have Randox on board as one of our official corporate fundraising partners this year. As a key employer in Northern Ireland with tremendous influence, the company has real potential to transform how we look at mental health and wellbeing, particularly in the workplace setting. We look forward to seeing the creative fundraising ideas they have planned for the year ahead and thank them for all their support thus far.”

Amanda Castray, Director of Campus Life, Ulster University said,

“Ulster University and Randox enjoy a longstanding partnership built around research, knowledge sharing, collaboration and student opportunity which reflects the leadership of both organisations in diagnostics and health research globally. We are very encouraged that one of our valued industry partners is now supporting us with our student-led mental health programme, Mind Your Mood. We look forward to working with the team at Randox as we promote positive mental health and wellbeing across our campuses and tackle the social stigmas associated with seeking support.”

As part of Randox’s focus this year on mental health and wellbeing, the global healthcare company will also be offering Ulster University students a discount on its revolutionary health checks for the duration of the partnership.

These health programmes are designed to find indicators of physical or mental ill-being at the earliest possible stage, to allow preventive action or treatment to be taken.

For further information about AWARE, and the opportunity to donate, please visit www.randox.com/aware/

For further information about Mind Your Mood, and the opportunity to donate, please visit www.randox.com/mind-your-mood/

For other enquiries, please contact Randox PR on 028 9442 2413 or email randoxpr@randox.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nutritional status: copper deficiency

Did you know that copper is an essential trace mineral present in all tissues? It works with iron to help the body form red blood cells. It also helps keep the blood vessels, nerves, immune system and bones healthy while also aiding in iron absorption. In rare situations, copper deficiency can occur and lead to anaemia and osteoporosis.

Symptoms of copper deficiency include:

  • Fatigue & weakness as cells use copper to generate ATP, the body’s main source of energy. This means that copper deficiency could affect your energy levels.
  • Frequent sickness as copper plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system.
  • Weak and brittle bones as copper is involved in the processes that create cross-links inside your bones. These cross-links ensure bones are healthy and strong.
  • Problems with memory and learning as copper plays an important role in brain function and development.

Sensitivity to cold as copper, along with minerals like zinc, help maintain optimal thyroid gland function. Low thyroid levels can make you feel colder more easily.

There are many foods that are high in copper. These include leafy greens, including turnip, greens, spinach, kale and mustard greens. Asparagus and summer squash are two other excellent sources of copper while legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds are also good sources of the substance.

Randox Reagents, RX and QC are helping to diagnose copper deficiency at the earliest possible stage. The Randox copper assay is used to measure the levels of copper in the blood in order to determine copper toxicity. Combining this with the Randox zinc assay can aid in identifying the cause of liver damage in a patient, leading to correct treatment and recovery.

Find out more about how Randox is helping to diagnose nutritional status and deficiencies here: https://www.randox.com/nutritional-status/

 

 

 

 


The Issues Surrounding Drug Residues in the Global Food Market

The potential presence of drug residue contaminants in food products destined for human consumption is an increasingly popular topic of conversation in the industry but what are the main challenges facing the industry to tackle this potential issue?

Drug residue contaminants in food products is a discussion that involves the global community but each individual country or trade bloc has their own protocols and regulations relating to the control and monitoring of residues. The different legislations are designed to protect the general public as well as the food industry interests in their individual countries. Any business that wishes to sell their products within other countries or regions must meet their legislative requirements relating to drug residues. These differences in regulations have increased the need for increased dialogue on the issue as well as the implementation of effective monitoring systems.

The industry must deal with the potential of residues from antibiotics and growth promoting hormones entering the food chain. This will involve ensuring correct dosage per animal and also adhering to withdrawal periods set for their region. The second issue the industry faces is the stigma received from the misuse of these antibiotics and growth promoting hormones.

While there is a potential for misuse it should always be noted that a producer’s main concern should always be animal health, which leads to a quality end product. The use of antibiotics is to ensure the health of the animal and to reduce the potential knock on effect of untreated diseases which could create a downturn on yield. Growth promoting hormones are used to increase this yield also but should never be done so at the expense of a safe end product.

Residues from particular drugs in food produce can have serious implications for human health. As such many countries have set Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) or tolerances for these residues in food.  The Maximum Residue Limit is the maximum concentration of a residue that can be present in a product from an animal or animal by product intended for the food supply. These MRLs mean that it is required by law in the enforcing countries that any product in the food chain cannot contain residue levels that are harmful to human health above these limits.

There has been controversy over measures to tackle drug residues in foods as there are no internationally accepted standards for many drugs. Ractopamine in particular has caused trade disputes as it is permitted in food production in some countries like the US & Canada, but the European Union, China, Taiwan and over 100 other countries have banned its use.

The real challenge the food industry faces is ensuring their testing methods are effective and reliable to ensure the safety of a variety of end products. To name a few of these diverse products we can look at the dairy, meat, seafood, feed and honey markets.

Dairy Market

The dairy industry is under constant scrutiny and pressure to constantly produce high volumes of milk whilst maintaining a superior standard of quality in their dairy products. As part of the production process various contaminants are administered to cattle in an effort to systematically treat various infectious diseases and maintain a healthy herd. A direct consequence of this is the requirement of routine monitoring and testing within farms and dairy processors to ensure that the levels of contaminants in milk are within legal regulations not exceeding Maximum Residue Limits and that unauthorised substances are not found at any level in milk.

Testing can be conducted at several points during the production process. Firstly, farm level testing can be carried out to screen milk from cows that have been separated from the herd and undergone antibiotic treatment. Secondly, the dairy processor is required to conduct testing both onsite taking samples from tankers and retrospective testing as a method of internal surveillance to ensure the milk supplied from several farms is within global regulatory limits. Thirdly, retailers can test the processed milk end product to guarantee the milk is antibiotic free before it’s added to supermarket shelves for consumers.

Meat Market

Global meat production and consumption have increased rapidly in recent decades. Worldwide meat production has tripled over the last four decades and increased 20 percent in just the last 10 years. Meanwhile, industrial countries are consuming growing amounts of meat, nearly double the quantity in developing countries. Mass quantities of antibiotics are used on livestock to reduce the impact of disease, contributing to antibiotic resistance in animals and humans alike. Worldwide, 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in 2009 were used on livestock and poultry, compared to only 20 percent used for human illnesses.

Growth promoters, which are tested for under the NRCP, are hormonal and antibiotic substances that may be used in food producing animals for growth promotion in livestock animals thus increasing the production of muscle meat and the reduction of fat. The type of growth promoter used is dependent on the animal species and mode of rearing with steroid growth promoters used for beef cattle and antibiotic growth promoters, which are usually added to feedstuffs, such as the coccidiostats used in the poultry industry and chlortetracycline used in the porcine industry. The rapid speed of meat production calls for the need to test for drug residues frequently to prevent them from ending up in the food chain.

Seafood Market

The global aquaculture industry has grown steadily over the past five decades, increasing at an average rate of 3.2%. However, this growth has come at a cost, with the industry facing many new challenges. Farmed seafood is often treated with medicated feeds which contain antibiotics such as leucomalachite green and nitrofurans for example to prevent from disease spreading, they are also exposed to other harmful residues used to treat algae etc. within the ‘pens’ where they are kept.

The FAO (2012) reported that 38% of fish produced globally is exported, highlighting the imbalances in regional supply and the changing tastes of the global consumer. This increased level of exporting and importing shows the importance of drug residue screening within the global aquaculture industry. This increased level of exporting and importing shows the importance of drug residue screening within the global aquaculture industry.

Feed Market

The global animal feed processing market is estimated at US$21.61 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach US$ 26.62 Billion by 2023. The market is driven by factors such as the rising awareness of feed nutrition and health, technological advancements in the equipment industry and increase in the demand for feed around the world. Medicated feeds containing veterinary are often used to help prevent disease within livestock and there are MRLs for feed which has created the need for testing as high levels of residues can have an effect on livestock health and also transfer through to meat products for human consumption. With humidity levels rising in recent years there has been an influx in the level of mycotoxins found within feed and cereals. These toxins are fungal and can affect both livestock and human health for example mycotoxicoses which is a disease which can affect the respiratory system. The main cause of mycotoxins within stored grains are when the grain is damp or cracked and kept in insufficient storage conditions. These factors have made it necessary for feed and cereals to be tested for both drug residues and mycotoxins to ensure that they do not end up within the food chain.

Honey Market

The global honey market is growing at a rapid pace and the global consumption of honey is to reach 2.5 million tones by 2022. This growth is driven for consumers demand for natural and healthy alternatives to artificial sweeteners over cane sugar. There is also a growing awareness of the health and healing benefits of honey which is driving the demand for the use of honey for medicinal use, manuka honey sales continue to grow for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The rapid rise in demand for honey outweighs the amount that can be produced in a natural form globally due to a decline in the number of bees. This has influenced the quality of honey being produced as some producers take to diluting natural honey with high-fructose corn syrups in order to supply the demand. There is a requirement for keepers to treat bee colonies with antibiotics to prevent CCD and other diseases such as varroa mites and there is a chance that these harmful drug residues can be transferred through to the end product ‘natural’ honey. The use of antibiotic drugs in apiculture is globally restricted and there are no MRLs set for antibiotics in honey as it a natural product and needs to be antibiotic free, this has cause the need for testing both for drug residues and the overall quality of the honey being produced.

Detection

Due to the requirement to use a variety of drug treatments in the food industry and also the potential economic benefits to be gained from the use of growth promoters, there will continue to be use in animal production. However, as analytical methods of detection become more sensitive, producers are given further options for testing.

The surveillance for the potential presence of these residues of veterinary substances is regulated by the EU Directive 86/469/EEC. This directive outlines the guidelines for sampling and testing within a residue monitoring programme.

The requirement to meet these standard and the MRLs and detection levels outlined in the legislation has created a need for analytical methods to become more sensitive to ensure correct analysis. On some occasions MRL’s have been lowered which require a technology sensitive enough to detect very low concentrations in a sample.

One such screening method that is commonly used is the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods, which work well for testing and providing accurate results.

Randox Food have developed another method of analysis using the Evidence Investigator which uses similar methodology to ELISA methods. The analyser uses biochip array technology (BAT) to perform simultaneous quantitative detection of multiple analytes from a single sample and can be used across multiple matrix types including the products produced by the industries mentioned.  The core technology is the Randox biochip, this contains an array of discrete test regions containing immobilized antibodies specific to the drug residues under test.

These methods are rapid, reliable, and sensitive so are able to detect residues in very small concentrations. The Randox methods are developed in line with EU Directive 86/469/EEC and as such are an effective testing method for multiple areas of the food industry.

For further information please contact the Randox Food Diagnostics team by emailing: info@randoxfood.com

 

 

 

 

 

 


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