Antibiotic testing in shrimp
Antibiotic testing in shrimp
Seafood is one of the most important exports in India with its shrimp being a staple food in many countries worldwide. However, 2017 and 2018 saw 27 shipments of shrimp refused entry into the US by the FDA. This was followed closely in January 2019, when 26 lines were refused due to the presence of two banned antibiotics, nitrofurans and chloramphenicol.
With Indian shrimp accounting for around one third of the countries seafood exports, India has expressed its concern over the rejections. It responded by calling the tests on the products ‘too stringent’.
The global shrimp industry is estimated to be worth around $30 billion and India’s market share is estimated at 13% in value terms.
Dr. Ramraj, President of the All Indian Shrimp Hatcheries Association has stated, “some of the metabolites in shrimp and crustacean shells are known to mimic antibiotics and therefore could give false results”.
The use of antibiotics in shrimp farming in India is banned. Madhusudano Rao, Principal scientist at India’s Central Institute of Fisheries Technology has said, “All shrimp hatchery operators and shrimp farmers and advised to use only these antibiotic- free inputs during shrimp farming”.
Randox Food Diagnostics offer the most comprehensive range of ELISA and Biochip tests currently on the market, specifically designed to identify and detect the smallest traces of the most prevalent antibiotics used in seafood, including nitrofurans and chloramphenicol.
For more information please email us at: info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com or visit our website at www.randoxfooddiagnostics.com.
Kratom: The Emerging Drug of Abuse
Amidst growing concerns of an opioid-abuse epidemic in the United States, it has been established that kratom (Mitragynine) is increasing in popularity amongst opioid users and has been reported as the new ‘legal high’.
Kratom is an unendorsed herb substance which has not yet been criminalized in the United States and is considered a powerful analgesic with opioid-like effects at high doses and acts as a stimulant at lower doses. Often used as a treatment for chronic pain or opiate withdrawal patients, it also comes in the form of a dietary supplement. As there are no Federal regulations monitoring the sale and distribution of Kratom the substance continues to be readily available and easily accessible via the internet, increasing its abuse by chronic pain patients on prescription opioids.
Kratom has been associated with psychosis, seizures, and has recently cited 100 deaths over a 17-month period by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In previous reports, the Food and Drug Administration had warned against the use of Kratom to ease opioid withdrawal, as many pain physicians are not familiar about its addictive properties. Further the DEA plans to classify kratom as a Schedule 1 substance.
Are you testing for Kratom?
Randox Toxicology are the only suppliers for the detection of Kratom. Alongside our exclusive highly sensitive kratom ELISA test, this drug of abuse is available on our New Psychoactive Substances II panel, which utilises our universally available patented Biochip Array Technology.
Offering excellent cross-reactivity and unrivalled limits of detection over a range of routine and novel assays Biochip Array Technology is the world’s first multiplex screening technology. Designed to work across multiple matrices such as urine, blood, and oral fluid its intra and inter assay precision is typically <10% giving excellent correlation with confirmatory methods.
For more information regarding our Kratom tests get in touch with us by emailing info@randoxtoxicology.com
Different methods of drug testing and the benefits of each
Types of Drug Testing
At Randox Testing Services (RTS) we provide a range of testing solutions to enable you to conduct employee testing. Our screening procedure is efficient and involves an experienced sample collection officer visiting your premises to collect samples and transport them back to our laboratories for analysis. Alternatively, we can also train a member of your staff to collect samples on site with the same degree of accuracy as an RTS collection officer. Our testing solutions ensure coverage of all types of employee testing and meet the needs of all businesses.
For-Cause Testing
For-cause drug and alcohol testing is conducted when there is suspected drug abuse or alcohol misuse in the workplace. Suspicion may arise because of the employee exerting signs of substance abuse, if an allegation has been made, if drugs or alcohol have been found within the workplace or following an accident at work.
The key benefits include;
- Legal compliance with correct measurements being taken if an employee is suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Can deter employee misuse of drugs or alcohol due to a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy being in place.
Pre-Employment Testing
Pre-employment screening for substance abuse is an increasingly common type of workplace drug and alcohol testing. As an indicator of candidate suitability, it forms an essential part of a company’s recruitment process and helps maintain the safety of its current employee workforce and business environment.
The key benefits include,
- Pre-employment screening is one of the easiest programmes to implement.
- Screening applicants for use of drugs and alcohol ensures you employ the right people for your business.
- Effective way of preventing future issues such as absenteeism and decreased productivity.
- Pre-employment screening can help protect the integrity of a company by acting as an effective deterrent.
- A pre-employment drug test is proved helpful to boost the repute of an organisation. The drug abusers usually stay away from applying in any firm that held a drug test at the time of employment.
Random Testing
Random testing for drugs and alcohol is a popular type of employee testing. With knowledge that a test could be conducted on anyone at any time it acts as an effective deterrent of drug abuse or alcohol misuse among employees.
The key benefits include;
- Random testing is a deterrent for employees as they are aware they could be asked to undertake a test at any time.
- It is a convenient and easy way to maintain a safe working environment free from substance abuse.
- Employees are less likely to tactfully try to disguise results, or alter their habits, as they will be given little or no notice that a test is going to be conducted.
- Employees are less likely to feel singled out due to random selection.
Post-incident testing
Post-incident testing occurs after an accident or incident in the workplace to determine if drugs or alcohol may have contributed to the cause. Incidents include injury to an employee, assault of an employee by another member of staff or damage to property.
If this is required, it is recommended that all employees involved in the incident are tested.
The key benefits include;
- Safeguards the rights of the employees and employers to proving or disproving if drugs or alcohol were a factor in an incident.
- Minimises the chance of a similar incident occurring.
Abstinence Monitoring
Abstinence monitoring provides employees with the support and opportunity to remain abstinent and continue to successfully at work. This type of testing is an effective tool to track progress towards addiction recovery for both the employee and the employer. Regular drug screens also give the recovering person added motivation to protect their sobriety.
For the employer abstinence monitoring provides greater security in knowing that their employee is safe to work. This is particularly important for safety critical roles.
The key benefits include;
- Ensures that an employer is tackling and reducing the instances of substance abuse in the workplace.
- Shows support from an employer throughout an employee’s rehabilitation process.
- Increases employee morale and productivity.
- Helps prevent staff turnover by offering a second chance.
- Studies have shown that close monitoring by physicians, especially in early recovery, results in abstinence rates of over 80%.
At RTS we offer varied testing methods to be as flexible as the customer needs to fit in with their requirements.
For any further questions about implementing a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy or just general questions on workplace testing, please get in touch today!
Email – testingservices@randox.com
Phone – +44 (0) 28 9445 1011
Employee Health & Wellbeing
What’s important to your business?
How highly do you rank employee health and wellbeing within your business? Improving your employee health and wellbeing strategy can help you increase productivity, lower sickness rates and help improve employee morale. The presence of people in poor health at work can be more costly to the business than their absence. Not only if illness is transmitted to other colleagues, but also because ill employees are likely to work less effectively than usual, may be more susceptible to costly mistakes, create lower workplace morale and they take longer to recover from their illness.
In 2017, 131.2 million working days were lost to sickness absence (Office for National Statistics), that’s just over 4 days of sickness per employee within the UK. Giving your employee, a better understanding of their health & wellbeing gives them the opportunity to improve their health and prevent illness. Randox Health understands the importance of improving the health of your workforce. Our mission is to enhance your business by tailoring a health programme to suit your organisational needs.
EveryBusiness: Employee Health & Wellbeing
Our EveryBusiness corporate service aims to provide a unique health and wellbeing service for your business. EveryBusiness will benefit you and your employees and improve the productivity and efficiency of your business. Our service is for employers trying to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees and by doing so they will benefit from the results of creating a unique health and wellbeing environment.
It has been established that investing in employee health can reduce absenteeism, improve job satisfaction, productivity and enhance corporate image. EveryBusiness can be tailored to your business and its structure because of this it can benefit any size of business.We are committed to improving health worldwide through early identification and prevention of disease. Using our innovative biochip technology, we measure hundreds of biomarkers in the blood, giving unprecedented access to health data.
Benefits
- Lower Rates of Sickness & Absence
- Positive Corporate Image
- Increased Productivity
- Lower Staff Turnover
- Increased Employee Engagement
- Improved Physical and Mental Health
- Increased Staff Morale
- Added Employee Benefit
Client Testimonial
Watch below a testimonial from our EveryBusiness client CMI. Listen to their sales manager Paul Ramm answer some questions about their experience with Randox Health. Visit Randox Health or our new EveryBusiness page here to see more information. Contact a member of our team who can give you a break down of our services and the benefits they will have on your business.
New findings show antimicrobial resistance on the rise
New antimicrobial resistance findings released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have reported that antimicrobials used to treat diseases can be transmitted between animals and humans. The report presents data from 28 European Union (EU) Member States on humans, pigs, and calves under one year old.
Discussing the report, Poultry World documented that resistance to fluoroquinolones is now so high in Campylobacter bacteria that these antimicrobials no longer work for treatment of severe cases. Studies found that in Campylobacter, extremely high proportions of bacteria were resistant to ciprofloxacin and tetracyclines.
Despite the increase of antimicrobial resistance, Member States that have implemented stringent policies are noteworthy examples for other countries. Broiler farms in the United Kingdom (UK) reduced their antibiotic use by 82% between 2012 and 2017, producing half the meat eaten in the UK and using less than 9.7% of the total antibiotics licensed for food-producing animals.
In the UK, the poultry industry set up the Antibiotic Stewardship group in 2011 to tackle antimicrobial resistance and pre-empt the need for new laws. Coordinated by the British Poultry Council (BPC), participants worked together, shared industry data, and managed a 40% reduction of antibiotic use between 2016-2017. Fluoroquinolone use alone reduced by 91% in the UK. On-going work is to continue in order to improve antimicrobial use, with better data collection and advanced rapid testing methods for antimicrobial sensitivity.
Randox Food Diagnostics recognise the need for antimicrobial detection by providing reliable and economical testing methods to monitor multiple residues from a single sample with Biochip Array Technology. With the Antimicrobial II Array Plus, Randox Food Diagnostic’s offer the detection of 6 classes of antimicrobial compounds including quinolones and tetracycline from urine and tissue samples. Additionally, our tetracycline sensitive and quinolones ELISA kits rapidly uncover additional analytes, with excellent sensitivity levels.
For more information please contact us at info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
Or visit the meat and seafood section of our website at www.randoxfood.com
Tim Cogley Foundation and Randox Health partner with Liverpool universities to bring cardiac health awareness to the city
An event on preventative healthcare and cardiac screening is being delivered in Liverpool this week by a wealth of world-leading industry and academic speakers.
Hosted by the sponsor of the Randox Health Grand National, in association with Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Hope University and the Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation, the event, entitled the Preventative Cardiac and Metabolic Health Seminar, runs on Wednesday 3rd April and is open to the public.
It follows a morning of engaging fitness programmes, including boxing, taekwondo and indoor cycling, for local pupils and teachers from across Merseyside and Cheshire. During these exercises, which will also include the opportunity to experience life as a jockey by having a go on a horse simulator, the children will also have some physiological measurements taken, including their heart rate.
“Prevention is always better than cure”, says Managing Director Dr Peter FitzGerald. “Our aim is to empower people to take control of their health, to live longer and more healthy lives.
“We are delighted to be teaming up with Liverpool John Moores, Liverpool Hope and the Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation ahead of the Randox Health Grand National. The world’s greatest race offers us the perfect platform to spread our message of preventative health, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge with the audiences at this exciting event.”
This is the third year that the educational event from Randox Health has been held in the city, and for the second time will be championed by Frank Cogley of the Tim Cardiac Screening Foundation, whose son suffered a fatal heart attack due to a genetic condition. Frank is now working to raise the profile of cardiac health checks for young people.
He commented;
“It’s been recently reported that at least 12 under-35s die from undiagnosed heart conditions every week in the UK. The current lack of routine screening of 18 to 40-year-olds leaves a gaping chasm in our healthcare provision.
“With our highly motivated partners, through events like this, we hope to redress this through lifestyle changes and preventative medical programmes.
“The Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation is committed to delivery positive, action-focused and life-changing programmes. I can’t imagine a legacy more in tune with the generous, kind and supportive person that was Tim.”
Tickets for the Randox Health seminar, which focuses on health screening and how the right approach can deliver significant benefits, are priced at £3 and are available at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/preventative-cardiac-and-metabolic-health-seminar-tickets-59041545853?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete
£2.27 of each ticket payment will go towards the ‘Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation’ charity. Each attendee at the event will also be entered into a raffle on the day, with the winning prize being general admission tickets for the Randox Health Grand National on Saturday 6th April.
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
National Brain Awareness Week 11th – 15th March 2019
This year, National Brain Awareness Week runs from the 11th onto the 15th March 2019; a full week dedicated to brain health to increase public awareness of the progress and research of brain health.
Every single brain is unique and therefore, there are no two brains that are alike. The brain is an incredible and powerful organ which works throughout your life – starting from the womb to the end. It controls your body functioning in response to processing new information, developing new experiences and allowing you to understand and interact with the world. It contains one hundred billion nerve cells or neurons and each of the neurons can contact thousands of other cells via tiny structures called synapses. Our brains form a million new connections for every second of our lives.1
There are many conditions which can affect the brain including brain injuries, cerebrovascular injuries such as strokes or brain tumors, neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia or Parkinson’s disease, or even psychological conditions.
There is increasing evidence that the choices we make in life can have significant impacts on the health of our brain and bodies as we grow older. Doctors and scientific researchers have discovered that it’s possible to improve brain health and reduce the risk of dementia and age-related cognitive decline by making simple yet small lifestyle changes – for example, improving your physical exercise.
Physical experience is not only good for the heart but also has a positive impact on the brain as well. People who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as exercise improves blood flow and memory. Another way to improve your brain health is to get your eight hours of sleep. Poor sleeping patterns can increase your chances of developing the brain conditions highlighted above. Also, eating well and eating foods that improve brain function will go a long way – for example, berries, fish, turmeric, green tea, avocado, walnuts and even dark chocolate.
Caroline Abrahams, Director of Age UK said: ‘The changes that we need to make to keep our brains healthy are already proven to be good for the heart and overall health, so it’s common sense for us all to try to build them into our lives.’ 3
Randox Biosciences offers the Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) Array. The Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) Array is a research use-only product developed for the Evidence Investigator. The ApoE4 Array measures both total ApoE protein levels and ApoE4 protein levels directly from plasma samples and by using a ratio it can classify patients as negative or positive for ApoE4. In turn we can then assess their risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
For further information about the Randox Alzheimer’s Array or our Evidence Investigator, please email info@randoxbiosciences.com
How can a policy form the basis of workplace drug & alcohol testing?
If you work in a company with safety-critical roles it is more than likely that you have some sort of workplace drug and alcohol testing policy in place. Even companies without safety-critical roles are implementing these policies to further ensure the health, safety and well-being of their staff.
Employers hold the responsibility to ensure employees are fully aware of the company’s rules, regulations, testing and disciplinary procedures. The policy itself holds vital importance, providing employees with the knowledge of the standards expected of them, whilst educating themselves with information provided in a written comprehensive manner.
The importance of implementing a policy
The most important element of a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy is SAFETY. Drug and alcohol use increases the probability of workplace accidents occurring. Studies have found that employees who have alcohol problems are 2.7 times more likely to have an accident whilst at work. The main issues associated with substance misuse relate to:
- Absenteeism – it’s estimated that 17 million days of work are lost per year due to substance misuse.
- Low productivity levels – employees may reduce output in different tasks and become demotivated.
- Inappropriate behaviour – some cases of substance abuse may lead to crime.
- Aggressive behaviour towards others – resulting in loss of employment / convictions.
It’s evident that many who suffer from drug & alcohol abuse are in employment. Studies show 25% of those in employment were registered drug addicts with 3.3% of all adults aged 16-59 classified as frequent users.
Significant issues such as these provide growing concerns for employers to implement a workplace drug and alcohol policy, to ensure the welfare of each member of staff is considered. Under the Health & Safety Act 1974, employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees is fully met in order to maintain standards.
The importance of a workplace policy for drugs and alcohol can benefit employers by:
- Building relationships with employees by showing there is help and support available.
- Policies can raise awareness of issues in the business and can encourage staff members to take action if needed.
- It can reduce the number of sick employees, reduce staff turnover and increase productivity levels.
Rare Disease Day: 28th February 2019
28th February 2019
Rare Disease Day: 28th February 2019
Rare Disease Day raises awareness of rare diseases and how patients’ lives are affected. Many rare diseases remain incurable and many go undiagnosed. 1 in 20 people will live with a rare disease at some point in their life and this is why it is so important to raise awareness.1
What is a rare disease?
There is no single definition for a rare disease, as many countries identify them differently. In the United States, the Rare Diseases Act of 2002 defines a rare disease by its prevalence: “any disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States”. However, the EU defines a rare disease as a condition that affects less than 5 in 10,000 of the population. There are approximately 7000 rare diseases and disorders and 50% of people affected by rare diseases are children.2,3
Hyperlipoproteinemia type III
This rare disease day, Randox will be raising awareness of hyperlipoproteinemia type III. Hyperlipoproteinemia type III, also known as dysbetalipoproteinemia or broad beta disease, is a rare genetic disorder characterised by improper breakdown of lipids, specifically cholesterol and triglycerides. The condition is caused by mutations in the Apo-E gene, however the inheritance of this condition is complicated due to the development of symptoms having to be triggered by a secondary factor to raise lipid levels. These factors include diabetes, obesity or hypothyroidism.
It is unknown exactly what the prevalence of the condition is, but it is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 5,000 – 10,000 of the general population and it has been found that it affects males more often than females, with women rarely being affected until after menopause.4,5
Figure A. Example of cholesterol and lipid build-up [6]
Symptoms
Symptoms for hyperlipoproteinemia type III will vary for each individual and some people may even be asymptomatic. The most common symptom is the development of xanthomas which are deposits of fatty material, the lipids, in the skin and underlying tissue. Xanthomas may appear on the palms of the hands, eyelids, soles of the feet or on the tendons of the knees and elbows.
> Chest pain or other signs of coronary artery disease
> Cramps in the calves when walking
> Sores on toes
> Stroke-like symptoms such as trouble speaking, dropping on one side of the face, weakness in an arm or a leg and a loss of balance6
Complications can arise if the condition is left untreated and these can include: myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, peripheral vascular disease, intermittent claudication and gangrene of the lower extremities.7
Diagnosis
Although there is no specific diagnostic test for hyperlipoproteinemia type III, diagnosis is based on clinical evaluation and identification of symptoms. Research has indicated that an algorithm comprising a number of dysbetalipoproteinemia indices may be helpful in the diagnosis of the disease. These include:
> Low apolipoprotein B to total cholesterol ratio
> Elevated levels of triglycerides
> Elevated levels of total cholesterol8
Managing the condition
The condition cannot be cured but treatment is to control conditions such as obesity, hypothyroidism and diabetes. Most patients will go through dietary therapy to control their intake of cholesterol and saturated fat. This prevents xanthomas, high levels of lipids in the blood, exercise will also help to lower lipid levels. However, dietary changes may not be effective for some individuals and this is where drugs may be used to lower lipid levels instead.
How Randox can Help
Randox offer a range of routine and niche assays within the lipid testing panel to monitor lipid levels and to identify associated complications. Some of these tests include:
Apolipoprotein B
The Randox Apolipoprotein B tests utilises an immunoturbidimetric method, offers a wide measuring range and is available liquid ready-to-use for convenience and ease of use.
Total Cholesterol
The Randox Total Cholesterol test utilises the CHOD-PAP method and offers an extensive measuring range with a wide range of kits available to suit a wide range of laboratory sizes.
Triglycerides
The Randox Triglycerides test utilises the GPO-PAP method while offering an extensive measuring range with both liquid and lyophilised formats available offering choice and flexibility.
Want to know more?
Contact us or download our Cardiology and Lipid Testing brochure to learn more.
Related Products
Randox Reagents
Resource Hub
Lipid Panel Page
References
[1] Rare Disease Day. What is Rare Disease Day? Rare Disease Day. [Online] 2019. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://www.rarediseaseday.org/article/what-is-rare-disease-day
[2] Genetic Alliance UK. What is a Rare Disease? Rare Disease UK. [Online] 2018. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://www.raredisease.org.uk/what-is-a-rare-disease/
[3] NZORD. Rare Disease Facts and Figures. NZORD. [Online] 2019. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://www.nzord.org.nz/helpful-information/rare-disease-facts-and-figures.
[4] NORD. Hyperlipoproteinemia Type III. NORD. [Online] 2019. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hyperlipoproteinemia-type-iii/
[5] GARD. Hyperlipidemia Type 3. National Centre for Advanciing Translational Sciences. [Online] December 29, 2016. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6703/hyperlipidemia-type-3
[6] Falck, Suzanne. Everything you need to know about hyperlipidemia. Medical News Today. [Online] December 21, 2017. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/295385.php
[7] Medline Plus. Familial Dysbetalipoproteinemia. Medline Plus. [Online] May 16, 2018. [Cited: February 21, 2019.] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000402.htm.
[8] Dysbetalipoproteinemia: Two cases report and a diagnostic algorithm. Kei, Anastazia, et al. 4, s.l. : World Journal of Clinical Cases, 2015, Vol. 3.
Northern Irish farmers encouraged to reduce farm antibiotic use
As part of a wider government initiative to tackle Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), Northern Ireland farmers are being given the opportunity to attend a range of training events aimed at educating them more about potential risks to their businesses.
The new training course titled ‘Responsible Use of Antibiotics in the Dairy Herd’ will be delivered by Animal Health & Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI), as part of Farm Family Key Skills (FFKS), an initiative within the Farm Business Improvement Scheme (FBIS). The training will equip farmers on how to reduce and optimise their use of antibiotics. It will also give key tips on the best use of antibiotics and how to avoid the risk of residues by following suitable withdrawal guidelines.
Ulster Farmers Union president, Ivor Ferguson said; “As a farming industry, we are committed to playing our part in reducing antibiotic usage and resistance. Significant progress has already been made in the pig and poultry sectors, which have seen their usage fall by over 50% and 80% respectively.”
The initiative is also supported by Dairy UK and many dairy companies to complement the MilkSure program ensuring that Northern Ireland milk is produced to the highest standards.
Randox Food Diagnostics are continuously investing in innovative multiplexing screening technology to enable the agriculture and food industries to implement effective drug residue screening. Our patented Biochip Array Technology (BAT) can detect multiple toxins, residues & contaminants (up to 44) from a single sample. The Infiniplex Array for milk ensures dairy processors are compliant with 98% of EU regulations for antibiotics and can also detect anti- parasitic, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic drug residues from a single neat sample of milk!
Our extensive test menu is also available across a range of matrices including Meat and Feed. For more information on the screening arrays available, contact info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com to find out how Randox Food can help protect your industry.
