The use of the antimicrobial agent chlorhexidine digluconate in the sanitization of food industry equipment and installations, and the interest on its application to decontaminate poultry carcasses indicates the need to determine its residue in food. An ion pairing HPLC - UV analytical method including an ethyl ether extraction in alkaline medium was developed to measure clorhexidine residue in poultry meat. The limit of analytical quantitation (0,6mg/g) and recoveries in carcasses (75% - CV 10%), skin (72% - CV 7%), and muscular tissue (82% - CV 8%) were appropriate to the purposes of the method application. The analysis of treated carcasses and skin, maintained refrigerated or frozen showed a slight decrease of the initial levels during storage. The interaction with polar components of matrix, the elimination with tissues fluid during refrigerated storage, the unfreezing step of the whole carcasses, and the degradation of the added chlorhexidine can be considered as the most probable cause for the decrease. The absence of residue in muscular tissue after refrigerated storage showed that the molecule practically did not cross the skin barrier.
chlorhexidine digluconate; HPLC; poultry; carcasses
