A highly sensitive and rapid biosensor test based on disposable screen-printed thick-film electrodeswas developed, which is suitable for monitoring organophosphate and carbamate residues in foodsof animal origin with increased fat contents such as milk. The wild-type enzyme was combined withthree engineered variants of
Nippostrongylus brasiliensis acetylcholinesterase (NbAChE), to obtainenhanced sensitivity. The sample pretreatment could be reduced to a minimum. There was noextraction or fat removal necessary. With the biosensor test paraoxon concentrations down to 1
g/Lcould be detected in milk. The detection limit for carbaryl was 20
g/L. Recovery rates for paraoxonand carbaryl in milk samples lay between 89 and 107%. Ten milk samples from local markets weretested both with the biosensor test and with standard chromatographic multiresidue methods. Twomilk samples caused AChE inhibition rates of >50%. Accordingly, 4
g/L tebufenpyrad, 4
g/Ltetraconazole, and 2
g/L bifenthrin were detected in one of these milk samples. The other milksample contained 2
g/L tebufenpyrad.Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase biosensor; organophosphate; carbamate; milk analysis