Abstract
The recent discovery of clenbuterol contamination in Portuguese food led to the specific inspection of 16 cattle farms for β-agonists, involving the analysis of a total of 486 samples (78 feed, 106 drinking water, 168 urine and 134 hair). The samples were screened for the β-agonists: bromobuterol, cimaterol, clenbuterol, clenpenterol, clenproperol, hydroxymethylclenbuterol, mapenterol, salbutamol and terbutaline. Only clenbuterol was found in all analyzed matrices and the most likely method of illegal administration to animals was through drinking water. Of all samples analysed, 14.15% of drinking water were found positive in the range 0.03–3.80 mg l−1 clenbuterol. Inclusion of hair samples in the Portuguese plan for clenbuterol residue control in live animals is discussed.
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