Advancing Antibiotic Residue Analysis: LC-MS/MS Methodology for Ticarcillin Degradation Products in Tomato Leaves.

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in agriculture has raised concerns about antibiotic residues in food products, necessitating robust analytical methods for detection and quantification. In this study, our primary aim was to develop a robust and advanced liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methodology specifically designed for the accurate quantification of ticarcillin degradation products in tomato leaves. The choice of ticarcillin as the target analyte stems from its frequent use in agriculture and the potential formation of degradation products, which can pose a threat to food safety.