Expansion and Validation of Testing Methods for Food Contaminants in Animal Diagnostic Specimens

Virginia Polytechnic Inst And St Univ, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Project Abstract The Virginia Tech Animal Laboratory Services (ViTALS) is a Tier 1 Vet-LIRN laboratory housed within the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. As part of ViTALS, the Toxicology Laboratory has the experience, technical expertise, instrumentation and staff capabilities to validate methods to analyze biological samples. Minerals and vitamins are provided through the diet and their imbalance can be critical to animals. The toxicology laboratory currently analyzes diagnostic samples for metals, minerals and vitamin A and E. We propose to extend our capabilities to simultaneously quantify in the same extract vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D and its hydroxyl metabolites. We also plan to optimize and validate the analysis of a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin B1. Additionally, we will be collaborating with other Vet-LIRN labs for the validation of these methods in order to ensure robust methods that will be standardized for multiple locations to use in the event of an outbreak.