Stability of tetracycline residues in honey

The problem of availability of veterinary medicines to treat honeybees is discussed extensively worldwide. An uncontrolled administration of antibiotics may lead to contamination of beehive products and contributes to the problem of food safety. In this study, the kinetics of tetracycline (TC) degradation in honey was studied for samples provided by four sideline beekeepers located in the west region of Romania. The samples of honey were stored in the dark at room temperature for 30 days and subsamples were analyzed every 3 days by Elisa method. The results of the study revealed that the level of tetracycline decreases in time for all honey samples. The tetracycline degradation follows a first-order kinetic model with reaction rate constants between 1.2•10-3 - 2•10-3 days-1. The half-life time of tetracycline in monofloral honeys: acacia and lime was 251 and 232 days respectively. Tetracycline degradation in polyfloral honey was accelerated since τ1/2 of TC was 151 days