• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2010

Wild and cultured fish including olive flounder, sea bass, rock bream, yellowtail, gray mullet, gizzard shad, black rockfish, red seabream and squid were collected from a fish market located on the coast of Korea, and the antibiotic content of their muscle was investigated. Tetracycline group antibiotics were not detected in the 108 individuals of 9 species of wild fish. However, oxytetracycline (OTC) and tetracycline(TC) were detected in some samples of the 111 individuals in 7 cultured live fish species. The detected ranges of OTC and TC were ND~ 0.06 and ND~ 0.03, respectively. Five different fluoroquinolone antibiotics were also tested for, but were not detected in the wild fish species. Only small amount of criprofloxacin(ND~0.029 mg/kg) were detected in a few cultured fish samples. Oxolinic acid was not detected in either wild and cultured fish samples. Results showed that even very low levels of antibiotics could be detected by the testing methods used. Antibiotics were identified in a few fish samples but levels were far below the maximum allowable limits of the Korean Food Code, and the safety of fish being sold in markets, with regard to antibiotic levels, was confirmed.