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.