Boost to advance antibiotic detection in food

AIBN Emerging Group Leader Dr Run Zhang has secured a grant from the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) to advance sensor technology that detects antibiotic residues in food, improving food safety.

Antibiotics are widely used to treat bacterial infections in both humans and animals, but their residual presence in meat and dairy products can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, reducing their effectiveness as medicine.

Australia has one of the world’s best records in minimising the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. However, despite efforts to curb its overuse globally, it remains a concern, impacting public health and food safety.

“Antibiotic residues in food can accelerate the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making treatments ineffective and infections harder to control,” Dr Zhang said.

“This has direct impacts on human health, animal welfare and the environment, making it one of the most pressing global health threats of our generation.”

To address this, Dr Run Zhang has developed nanosensors capable of detecting tiny traces of tetracyclines – a common class of antibiotics used in livestock production.

“Our innovative nanosensors can detect residues of tetracyclines in meat and dairy by reacting with the chemicals and producing a luminescent signal,” he said.

“The luminescence grows stronger when there’s more tetracycline present.”

The $25,000 funding boost will support the development of a new testing device that, together with Dr Zhang’s nanosensor technology, will allow food product testing to be faster and cheaper.

“Current testing methods are expensive, time-intensive and require specialised infrastructure,” Dr Zhang said.

“Our technology reduces testing time from over two days to about five minutes and cuts costs by approximately 95%.”

It will also be made from glass, making it reusable and further enhancing sustainability.

The nanosensor device will be affordable, durable and scalable, making it ideal for small and medium enterprises and large-scale food producers, helping businesses meet food safety regulations and respond to growing consumer demand for residue-free products.

This project is expected to be finalised by mid-2026.