Apidologie 38 (2007) 315-322
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2007017

Study of the depletion of tylosin residues in honey extracted from treated honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies and the effect of the shook swarm procedure

Stuart J. Adams^a, Katharina Heinrich^a, Mike Hetmanski^a, Richard J. Fussell^a, Selwyn Wilkins^b, Helen M. Thompson^b and Matthew Sharman<sup>a

a</sup>  Food Safety Group, Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK
^b  National Bee Unit, Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK

(Received 5 July 2006 - Revised 7 December 2006 - Accepted 22 December 2006 - Published online 10 October 2007)

Abstract - Bee colonies were dosed with tylosin tartrate 1.1 g per hive (single dose in sucrose solution) and samples of honey were then collected at intervals over a 20-week period. The samples were analysed for tylosin A and desmycosin (tylosin B) using LC-MS/MS. The mean concentration of tylosin A in the honey (pooled results) 3 days after dosing was 17 g/g, declining to 0.9 g/g after 140 days. The mean concentration of desmycosin was 2.3 g/g, 3 days after dosing declining to 1.1 g/g after 140 days. The shook swarm procedure was investigated and resulted in a tylosin A concentration in brood honey of 10 g/g, 3 days after dosing declining to 0.02 g/g, 140 days after dosing. A corresponding decrease in the mean concentrations of desmycosin in brood honey, 1.1 g/g, 3 days after dosing to 0.03 g/g, 140 days after dosing also was observed. Tylosin A depletes to desmycosin in honey and can still be detected 238 days after dosing. Thus a more accurate residue definition is the sum of tylosin A and desmycosin.

Key words: Tylosin / desmycosin / honey / veterinary drug / residues / apiculture


© INRA, DIB-AGIB, EDP Sciences 2007