Antibiotic residues in honey
CSE laboratory tests find high levels of antibiotics in well-known brands of honey sold in the market. Antibiotics are found in honey largely because they are used in apiculture for treatment of bacterial diseases. Oxytetracycline is commonly used to treat European foulbrood disease (EFB) and American foulbrood diseases (AFB) caused by Paenibacilus (Bacillus) larvae and Streptococcus pluton bacteria, respectively. However, there are now reports of tetracycline resistance in these bacteria because of its widespread use. Other antibiotics such as erythromycin, lincomycin, monensin, streptomycin, enrofloxacin etc. are also reportedly used in beekeeping.