ANTIBODIES TO DETECT FUNGICIDE RESIDUES IN FOODSTUFFS

Boscalid, cyprodinil, pyrimethanil and fludioxonil are fungicides that are often used close to harvest or during post-harvest storage periods. Therefore, there is a high probability that residues of these pesticides reach the consumer, with the potential risks that this entails. Maximum residue limits (MRLs) have been established for these fungicides in agricultural commodities and foodstuffs. In general, the determination of residual concentrations of these compounds requires instrumental analytical methods. These techniques imply the use of laborious and costly methodologies, which must be carried out by highly qualified personnel in accredited laboratories and usually far from the production areas. Researchers from the Universitat de València and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas have obtained the reagents (haptens, bioconjugates and antibodies) necessary for the immunochemical determination of the fungicides boscalid, cyprodinil, pyrimethanil and fludioxonil, and have developed rapid methods for the determination of residues of these fungicides with high sensitivity, selectivity and minimum sample preparation.