Reported prevalence and quantitative LC-MS methods for the analysis of veterinary drug residues in honey: a review

Abstract

Insect pollination increases the value and productivity of three-quarters of crop species grown for food. Declining beehive health in commercial apiaries has resulted in numerous reports from government laboratories worldwide of contamination with antimicrobial chemicals in honey. This review includes pertinent discussion of legislation and events leading to increased government oversight in the commercial honey market. A detailed summary of the variety and prevalence of veterinary drug residues being found in honey as well as a selection of robust quantitative and confirmatory LC-MS methods with an emphasis on those adopted by government testing laboratories are presented.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• chromatography – LC/MS
• health significance
• veterinary drug residues
• honey

Acknowledgements

Jian Wang of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Calgary, Canada, and Rudolf Hackenberg of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection in Berlin, Germany, are thanked for sharing their analytical methods.