Detection arrangement and method for detecting presence of a residue in a sample include determining color values of the sample, associated with the L*a*b color model. A value of a composite parameter Z is calculated as follows: A=w.sub.L+w.sub.aa+w.sub.bb where w.sub.L, w.sub.a and w.sub.b are weighting factors having a value depending on the residue and the sample. A determination is made whether or not the sample comprises more or less than a predetermined amount of the residue in dependence on the value of the composition parameter Z. In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement is used to detect antibiotic residues, e.g. penicillin-G, in food products, elg. Milk, or body fluids, e.g. blood, urine.