A method of determining total penicillins begins with an enzymatic hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring to form their respective penicilloate product. Acetonitrile precipitates much of the casein and protein, which are then separated from the liquid by centrifugation. The lipids are removed from the aqueous fraction with methylene chloride. Mercuric chloride is added, which reacts with the penicilloate to liberate the side chain that has a terminal aldehyde. These penilloaldehyde products are extracted with methylene chloride and are subsequently reacted with dansyl hydrazine. The resulting fluorolabeled side chains are separated by liquid chromatography on a C18 column with acetonitrile-water as mobile phase. The fluorescence is measured by the mercury line at 254 nm excitation wavelength and a 500 nm filter on the emission side. The overall average recoveries from milk spiked at 25, 50, and 100 ppb are benzyl penicillin 79.4%; phenoxymethyl penicillin 59.7%; phenethicillin 75.9%; nafcillin 87.7%; methacillin 47.5%; oxacillin 57.6%; cloxicillin 37.3%; and dicloxicillin 26.4%.