Malachite Green Testing in Seafood
Aquaculture is a fast-growing industry around the world, providing almost half of fish consumed globally. The New Delhi Times reported that fish farms, breeding both freshwater and saltwater fish were encouraged by the government’s Blue Revolution policy. In India alone, fish production has increased by 11-fold, making them the second largest producer of fish in the world, after China.
However, the increase of fish farms has resulted in the oceans and rivers being less populated, as commercial fish come from aquaculture. Fish farmers are not always educated about the anatomy of the fish and the correct feed usually sourced in the wild. Therefore, many fish are poorly fed to get the largest product quickly, relying on unnatural methods such as antibiotics. In addition, the regularly used pond disinfectant malachite green is not banned globally, despite not being registered for use in food producing animals in the European Union (EU) and United States.
Malachite green is a triphenylmethane dye used extensively in the aquaculture industry for the treatment of fungal and protozoal infections. The dye has a potentially high level of abuse due its efficacy and the lack of equally effective alternatives. Easily absorbed during waterborne exposure and metabolised to the colourless compound, leucomalachite green can persist in fatty fish tissue for long periods of time.
Randox Food Diagnostics malachite green FAST ELISA test kit offers a rapid and reliable screening method for seafood analysis with a LOD of 0.5ppb.
| Assay | LOD (ppb) | Compound | Cross Reactivity % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malachite Green | 0.50 (Prawn/Shrimp/Catfish) | Malachite Green* Leucomalachite Green** Crystal Violet Leucocrystal Violet** Brilliant Green | 100.00 100.00 82.00 82.00 <1.00 |
Significant investment in Research and Development allows Randox Food Diagnostics to develop assays specifically designed for the global food industry. Offering excellent cross-reactivity and unrivalled limits of detection, we offer the highest quality ELISAs available on the market, with results providing great correlation with confirmatory methods. Manufactured using our own antibodies in the UK, Randox Food Diagnostics provide an ever-expanding test menu for the seafood industry.
For more information on our malachite green FAST ELISA kit, email info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com