Chloramphenicol is an affective antibiotic for Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria and anaerobic organisms. However, Chloramphenicol could inhibit bone marrow hematopoiesis; induce severe aplastic anemia and cause grey baby syndrome in newborns.

EU MRL rules the total residues of substances within the Chloramphenicol in milk should not exceed 0.3 ppb.

Drug residues test for Chloramphenicol applies the principle of competition-inhibition immunochromatography. Chloramphenicol in the sample binds to specific monocolonal antibodies labeled by colloidal gold, which prevents antibodies from binding to haptens immobilized on test line. Therefore, uncolored test line indicates a positive result.