Antibiotics may be present in honey as a result of treating ill bees.If the waiting period is respected, the honey of the bees is free from antibiotics.
The Belgian antibiotics standards have been changed regularly in the course of the years.
1/1/2002 200ppb Streptomycins 50ppb Sulphonamides 50ppb Tetracyclines
1/7/2002 100ppb Streptomycins 20ppb Sulphonamides 20ppb Tetracyclines
1/1/2003 50ppb Streptomycins 20ppb Sulphonamides 20ppb Tetracyclines
1/7/2003 20ppb Streptomycins 20ppb Sulphonamides 20ppb Tetracyclines
At Meli honey is currently screened against the following antibiotics:
Streptomycins
Sulphonamides
Tetracyclines
Chloramphenicol
Macrolides
Nitrofurans
In the case of streptomycins, sulphonamides and macrolides the analysis takes place on the basis of the charm II system. This is a radio-immune assay (RIA). If the result is positive, an additional analysis will take place with the assistance of LCMS. We follow the developments closely so as to be able to carry out additional analyses.