Assessment of pesticides and antibiotic residues in samples of different honey types from Serbia

Abstract

Considering the long tradition of beekeeping, the rich variety of bee products and recognizable quality of honey from Serbia, the aim of this study was to verify that status by checking the presence of antibiotic and pesticide residues. Assessment the occurrence of pesticides and antibiotic residues contamination were done in 50 different honey samples from Serbia – 17 acacia (34%), 13 meadow (26%), 10 multifloral (20%), 6 linden (12%) and 4 forest honey samples (8%). The presence of antibiotic residues in honey was determined by microbiological screening method "Modified method 4 plates". Additional, detection of pesticides (sum of lindanes and endosulfanes) was performed using gas-mass chromatograph (GCMS) and detection of tetracyclines and sulfonamides was done on High Pressure Liquide Chromatograph (HPLC) with UV and FLD detector. All analyzed samples had zones of inhibition lower than 2 mm in width and concentration of sulfonamides, tetracyclines and pesticides were lower than limit of detection (<0,005ug/kg). The obtained results confirmed the status of honey from Serbia as high quality honey, i.e. free from antibiotic and pesticide residues.