STABILITY OF SULFONAMIDE DRUGS IN MEAT DURING STORAGE

Incurred samples from a pig treated with sulphamethazine and spiked sa mples of the same concentration were compared during frozen storage. T he contents of sulphamethazine in the different types of samples decre ased similarly to about 50% after 15 months. When the samples were hea t treated before analysis the sulphamethazine concentration did not ch ange over time. Samples of bovine and porcine muscle were spiked with five different sulphonamide drugs and stored frozen for 3 months. Twen ty-four hours at room temperature or 1 week at -20 degrees C did not a ffect the drug levels but after 1 month of frozen storage the levels i n bovine and porcine muscle had decreased significantly. After 3 month s the average decrease was 35% in bovine and 55% in porcine muscle.