Analytical strategies to detect use of recombinant bovine somatotropin in food-producing animals

• Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) enhances zootechnical performance.
• Treatment of cows with rbST is approved in more than 20 countries.
• EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Israel have banned the use of rbST.
• Detecting rbST-treated animals constitutes an analytical challenge.

Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) is produced in large quantities and widely used in a number of countries worldwide to stimulate milk production and as a general growth promoter in meat-producing animals. The use of this compound in animal production is strictly regulated by food-safety directives, particularly in the European Union. We give an overview of the state of the art in the detection of rbST-treated animals.