| | Chemical Residues in Honey - General Information
As a laboratory of the Alberta provincial government, the primary purpose of the Chemistry Laboratory is to enable the growth of Alberta's agriculture and food industries, including the honey industry. The laboratory provides objective scientific evidence that establishes and promotes the safety of Alberta's agriculture and food products in the domestic and international market places.
Support is provided to the provincial apiculturist by performing chemical residue testing on honey, bees and pollen with analytical capabilities for the determination of antibiotics, heavy metals and pesticides.
Oxytetracycline:
Oxytetracycline (Terramycin®) is used for the control of American foulbrood disease in honey bees. It is registered for use in apiculture in Canada and many other parts of the world. Health Canada has established a maximum residue limit of 300 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg) for oxytetracycline in honey. The Chemistry Laboratory tests honey for oxytetracycline and other tetracycline antibiotics.
Tylosin:
Oxytetracycline has been extensively used in apiculture for several decades. The bacterial agent responsible for American foulbrood disease has been discovered to have developed resistance to oxytetracycline in many parts of the world. As a result of the development of this resistance, alternative antibiotics have been investigated for use in controlling American foulbrood disease. Tylosin tartrate (Tylan®) has recently been registered for use in apiculture in Canada and the United States. The Chemistry Laboratory tests honey for tylosin and its degradation product, desmycosin (tylosin B), which also has antimicrobial activity. Health Canada has established a maximum residue limit of 200 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg) for the sum of tylosin and desmycosin in honey.
Fumagillin:
Nosema disease is a serious threat to honey bee health. This disease is caused by microsporidian organisms Nosema apidae and Nosema ceranae. Chemotherapeutic treatment of nosema disease involves the use of the antibiotic fumagillin (Fumagilin-B®). The maximum residue limit for fumagillin in honey has been set by Health Canada at 25 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg). The Chemistry Laboratory can test honey for fumagillin as well as dicyclohexylamine (DCH). Commercial formulations of this antibiotic currently consist of fumagillin in the form of a DCH-salt.
Lincomycin:
Lincomycin has been proposed as an alternative antibiotic for the control of oxytetracycline-resistant American foulbrood disease. This antibiotic is registered for use in beekeeping in the United States but has not been registered for use in apiculture in Canada. No maximum residue limit has been established by Health Canada for lincomycin in honey and any residues in honey would be considered violative.
Synthetic acaricides (miticides):
The varroa mite poses a major threat to the health of honey bees. This parasite not only weakens its honey bee host but also may infect the bees with various viral diseases. Varroa mites have contributed to significant losses of honey bees in many parts of the world. The mites may be controlled through chemotherapeutic treatment with acaricides (miticides). Synthetic acaricides used in beekeeping have included amitraz (Apivar®), coumaphos (CheckMite+®), fluvalinate (ApiStan®), and flumethrin (Bayvarol®). The synthetic acaricides tend to be relatively lipophilic and can accumulate in wax in the beehive. Residues may exist in honey but typically are found at very low levels if detected at all. Health Canada has established a maximum residue limit of 20 µg/kg for either coumaphos or fluvalinate in honey. The maximum residue limit for the sum of amitraz degradation products is 100 µg/kg.
Neonicotinoid insecticides:
Neonicotinoid insecticides have recently come under considerable scrutiny because of their potential contribution to the decline of honey bee health being observed in many parts of the world. These insecticides are widely utilized in agriculture, in particular as seed treatments. The systemic nature of neonicotinoid insecticides may result in the contamination of pollen and nectar. Foraging honey bees may transport neonicotinoid insecticide residues back to the beehive. Health Canada has not established any maximum residue limits for neonicotinoid insecticides in honey.
For more information on the Chemistry Laboratory, please contact Unit Head, Kevin Webster |
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