Determination of antibiotic residues in honey in relation to different potential sources and relevance for food inspection

Elisabetta Bonerba; Sara Panseri; Francesco Arioli; Maria Nobile; Valentina Terio; Federica Di Cesare; Giuseppina Tantillo; Luca Maria Chiesa

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127575

Determination of antibiotic residues in honey in relation to different potential sources and relevance for food inspection

Food Chem. 2021 Jan 1:334:127575. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127575. Epub 2020 Jul 18.

Authors

Elisabetta Bonerba¹, Sara Panseri², Francesco Arioli², Maria Nobile³, Valentina Terio¹, Federica Di Cesare², Giuseppina Tantillo⁴, Luca Maria Chiesa²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada P.le per Casamassima Km3, Valenzano 70010, Bari (BA), Italy.
² Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan (MI), Italy.
³ Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan (MI), Italy. Electronic address: maria.nobile1@unimi.it.
⁴ Department Interdisciplinary of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11 - 70124, Bari (BA), Italy.

PMID: 32707361
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127575

Abstract

Honey contaminations could derive from intensive agriculture and industrial activities, but also from beekeeper treatments. In EU no MRLs for antibiotics in honey are set, only a minimum required performance limit for chloramphenicol of 0.3 μg kg^-1 is recommended. Screening tests are available, characterised by their rapidity and simple use. Due to their high rate of false positives and the need to meet zero tolerance levels for antibiotics, their presence in samples was investigated using a liquid chromatography High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) multiclass antibiotic residue method, comparing the results with those of previous screening tests. The confirmatory method showed good sensitivity: CCα and CCβ ranging from 0.03 to 4.80 ng g^-1 and from 0.12 to 5.56 ng g^-1, respectively. Ninety-eight honey samples from different geographical areas, analysed by two screening tests, showed a high percentage of false positives. This is fundamental to guarantee honey safety, especially, for organic production.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Food inspection; High Resolution Mass Spectrometry; Honey; LC-HRMS; Screening tests.

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / analysis*
Chloramphenicol / analysis
Chromatography, Liquid / methods
Drug Residues / analysis
Food Contamination / analysis
Food Inspection*
Honey / analysis*
Mass Spectrometry / methods*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Chloramphenicol