Occurrence of pesticide residues in Italian organic honey from different areas

Agricultural contamination with pesticides is a challenging problem that needs to be fully addressed. Bee products, such as honey, are widely consumed as food and their contamination may carry health hazards. The contamination of honey by pesticides may occur through direct contamination from beekeeping practices as well as indirect contamination from environmental sources (Kujawski, Pinteaux &, Namiesnik, 2012). Pesticide residues have been shown to cause mutations and cellular degradation. Besides being a risk to public health, the presence of pesticides in raw materials (nectar, pollen, plant exudates) or bee products (raw products, honey, royal jelly) decreases quality. The indirect contamination of honey from the environment is a result of pesticide utilization in agriculture or environmental contamination (Rissato, Galhiane, Knoll & Apon, 2004). European regulations establishing pesticide residue levels in food have prompted EU members to monitor OCPs (Regulation (EC) NO 396/2005). Insecticides used in an intensive agricultural production context like orchard areas in which a relatively high level of insecticides is generally applied may also contaminate honey. Few studies, however, have focused on pesticides used for crop protection introduced into hives by contaminated bees and wax. In this study different pesticides (organophosphorous - OPs and organochlorine - OCs) selected as representative of different contamination sources were measured in 72 organic honey samples using methods based on ASE extraction with clean up into the cell and GC-MS/MS detection (triple quadrupole - QqQ). Particular emphasis was given to the pesticides utilised in intensive orchards in order to elucidate and relate the honey contamination and its potential sources. This theme is relevant for honey bee products in which only a certification process procedure is regulated by law.