Pesticide residues in Indian raw honeys, an indicator of environmental pollution

Human exposure to endocrine-disrupting organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides in locally produced and imported honey in Nigeria

The practice of exposing honeybees to pesticides by bee-keepers or via agricultural crops, is one of the ways in which honey becomes contaminated with pesticides. Though honey has many health advantages, however, human exposure to pesticides via consumption of honey has generated public health concerns due to their endocrine-disruptive abilities. Thus, this study evaluated human exposure to endocrine-disrupting pesticides in honey from Nigeria to establish the safety of honey consumed in Nigeria. Honey were analyzed for pesticides using a gas chromatograph combined with an electron capture detector. The concentrations of ∑20 OCPs and ∑14 OPPs in the honey ranged from 0.45-1045 ng/g and 1.13-632 ng/g respectively. The values of both individual and cumulative non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for humans were <1 and 1 × 10-4 respectively suggesting that there are no potential health risks via the honey consumption. The source analysis showed that pesticides in these honey originated from historical and recent/fresh use.

Cellular metabolism and health impacts of dichlorvos: Occurrence, detection, prevention, and remedial strategies-A review

Dichlorvos (2,2-Dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate, [DDVP]) belongs to the class of organophosphates and is widely used as an insecticide in agriculture farming and post-harvest storage units. Extensive research has been conducted to assess the factors responsible for the presence of DDVP in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as the entire food chain. Numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of DDVP metabolites in the food chain and their toxicity to mammals. These studies emphasize that both immediate and chronic exposure to DDVP can disrupt the host's homeostasis, leading to multi-organ damage. Furthermore, as a potent carcinogen, DDVP can harm aquatic systems. Therefore, understanding the contamination of DDVP and its toxicological effects on both plants and mammals is vital for minimizing potential risks and enhancing safety in the future. This review aimed to comprehensively consolidate information about the distribution, ecological effects, and health impacts of DDVP, as well as its metabolism, detection, prevention, and remediation strategies. In summary, this study observes the distribution of DDVP contaminations in vegetables and fruits, resulting in significant toxicity to humans. Although several detection and bioremediation strategies are emerging, the improper application of DDVP and the alarming level of DDVP contamination in foods lead to human toxicity that requires attention.

Exposure to pesticide residues in honey and its potential cancer risk assessment

Honey is the most recognized natural food by-product derived from flower nectar and the upper aero-digestive tract of the honeybees. Significance of honey for its medicinal importance are well-documented in the world's oldest medical literatures. However, the current urbanization, environmental contaminations and changes in agricultural, as well as apiculture practices has led to various types of contaminations in honey. Among all, pesticide contamination has become one of the major issues worldwide. This review focuses on the recent updates concerning pesticides occurrence in honey, as well as how the repeated use and long-term exposure to honey contaminated with pesticide residues could affect the human physiological functions, possibly leading to the development of various cancers. Our findings suggests that uncontrolled use of pesticides in farming and apiculture practices leads to the occurrence of pesticides residues in honey. Therefore, regular consumption of such honey will pose a serious threat to human health, since most of the pesticides has been reported as potential carcinogens. This review will draw the attention of honey consumers, scientific communities, apiculture farmers, as well as governing bodies to strictly monitor the pesticide usage in floriculture, agriculture as well as other related practices.

Pesticide pestilence: Global scenario and recent advances in detection and degradation methods

Increased anthropogenic activities are confronted as the main cause for rising environmental and health concerns globally, presenting an indisputable threat to both environment and human well-being. Modern-day industrialization has given rise to a cascade of concurrent environmental and health challenges. The global human population is growing at an alarming rate, posing tremendous pressure on future food security, and healthy and environmentally sustainable diets for all. To feed all, the global food production needs to increase by 50% by 2050, but this increase has to occur from the limited arable land, and under the present-day climate variabilities. Pesticides have become an integral component of contemporary agricultural system, safeguarding crops from pests and diseases and their use must be reduce to fulfill the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) agenda . However, their indiscriminate use, lengthy half-lives, and high persistence in soil and aquatic ecosystems have impacted global sustainability, overshot the planetary boundaries and damaged the pure sources of life with severe and negative impacts on environmental and human health. Here in this review, we have provided an overview of the background of pesticide use and pollution status and action strategies of top pesticide-using nations. Additionally, we have summarized biosensor-based methodologies for the rapid detection of pesticide residue. Finally, omics-based approaches and their role in pesticide mitigation and sustainable development have been discussed qualitatively. The main aim of this review is to provide the scientific facts for pesticide management and application and to provide a clean, green, and sustainable environment for future generations.

Determination of acaricides in honeys from different botanical origins by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An analytical method has been proposed and validated to determine seven acaricides (atrazine, chlorpyrifos, chlorfenvinphos, α-endosulfan, bromopropylate, coumaphos, and τ-fluvalinate) in honeys from different botanical origins (multifloral, heather and rosemary) by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. An efficient and simple sample treatment was proposed that involved a solvent extraction with an ethyl acetate and cyclohexane (50:50, v/v) mixture. Chromatographic analysis (<25 min) was performed in a DB-5MS column under programmed temperature conditions. The method was validated in terms of selectivity, limits of detection (0.2-2.0 µg kg^-1) and quantification (0.5-7.6 µg kg^-1), linearity (limit of quantification-700 (heather) or 800 (multifloral and rosemary) µg kg^-1), matrix effect (<20 % in most cases), trueness (recoveries between 81 % and 108 %), and precision (relative standard deviation < 15 %). Finally, of the seven acaricides investigated in several honey samples only τ-fluvalinate residues (<limit of quantification - 23 µg kg^-1) were found.

Contaminant Cocktails of High Concern in Honey: Challenges, QuEChERS Extraction and Levels

Environmental pollution is a crucial problem in our society, having nowadays a better understanding of its consequences, which include the increase of contaminant cocktails present in the environment. The contamination of honeybees can occur through their interaction with the nearby environment. Therefore, if honeybees are previously contaminated, there is a possibility of contamination of their products, such as honey as natural, or minimally processed, product, resulting from the honeybees’ activity. Considering that honey is a highly consumed product, it is extremely necessary to control its quality and safety, including evaluating the presence and quantification of contaminants, which should follow monitoring studies and the legislation established by the European Union. This work aims to review the literature of different contaminants reported on honey, including pesticides, persistent organic pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and pharmaceuticals, focusing on the reports using the QuEChERS technique for the extraction. Furthermore, reports of microplastics on honey samples were also discussed. Despite the existence of several methods that identify and quantify these contaminants, few methods have been reported to operate with different groups of contaminants simultaneously. The development of methods with this characteristic (while being fast, low cost, and with a lower impact on the environment), monitoring studies to identify the risks, and an update on legislation are priority actions and future perspectives to follow.

Pesticides in honey: bibliographic and bibliometric analysis towards matrix quality for consumption

Abstract Honey is a matrix noted for its wide consumption as a sweetener and its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties; however, its physicochemical quality can be compromised by the presence of toxicants such as pesticides. This review aims to gather recent information on pesticides in honey from the approach to their detection, understanding, and adverse effects on human health. A bibliographic and bibliometric analysis was carried out in academic databases limited to the last five and thirty years, respectively, comprising the keywords “honey”, “pesticides” and their types of pesticides or the agrochemical compound directly. It was found that there are about 30 pesticides detected in honey, in which organochlorine, organophosphate, and neonicotinoid compounds stood out for their concentrations concerning Maximum Residue Levels (MRL). Their physicochemical alteration was not well explored beyond slight variations in brightness and manganese concentration, and its consumption may have repercussions on human reproductive health. It was also determined that there was limited development on the scientific subject seeing that it is important to explore and investigate more on the issue due to the great impact of honey as a product of high consumption at a global level.

Synthesis of Piperine-Based Ester Derivatives with Diverse Aromatic Rings and Their Agricultural Bioactivities against Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval, Aphis citricola Van der Goot, and Eriosoma lanigerum Hausmann

Exploration of plant secondary metabolites or by using them as leads for development of new pesticides has become one of the focal research topics nowadays. Herein, a series of new ester derivatives of piperine were prepared via the Vilsmeier−Haack−Arnold (VHA) reaction, and their structures were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), melting point (mp), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C NMR). Notably, the steric configurations of compounds 6 and 7 were confirmed by single-crystal analysis. Against T. cinnabarinus, compounds 9 and 11 exhibited 47.6- and 45.4-fold more pronounced acaricidal activity than piperine. In particular, compounds 9 and 11 also showed 2.6-fold control efficiency on the fifth day of piperine. In addition, compound 6 (>10−fold higher than piperine) displayed the most potent aphicidal activity against A. citricola. Furthermore, some derivatives showed good aphicidal activities against E. lanigerum. Moreover, the effects of compounds on the cuticles of T. cinnabarinus were investigated by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging method. This study will pave the way for future high value added application of piperine and its derivatives as botanical pesticides.

Neonicotinoids residues in the honey circulating in Chinese market and health risk on honey bees and human

China is the largest beekeeping and honey consumption country globally. Neonicotinoids in honey can pose adverse effects on honey bees and human, but data on neonicotinoids residues in honey and its health risk remain limited in China. A total of 94 honey samples were selected from Chinese market based on production region and sale volume in 2020. Eight neonicotinoids and four metabolites were determined by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Health risk of neonicotinoids in honey on honey bees and human was assessed by hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). Neonicotinoids and their metabolites were overall detected in 97.9% of honey samples. Acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid were top three dominant neonicotinoids in honey with the detection frequencies of 92.6%, 90.4%, and 73.4%, respectively. For honey bees, 78.7% of honey samples had a HI larger than one based on the safety threshold value of sublethal effects. Top three neonicotinoids with the highest percent proportion of HQ larger than one for honey bees were acetamiprid (43.6%), imidacloprid (31.9%), and thiamethoxam (24.5%) and their maximum HQs were 420, 210, and 41, respectively. Based on oral median lethal doses for honey bees, both HQ and HI were lower than one in all honey samples. For human, both HQ and HI were lower than one based on acceptable daily intakes in all honey samples. Neonicotinoids concentrations and detection frequencies in honey samples and its health risk varied with production region, commercial value of nectariferous plants, number of nectariferous plants, and sale price. The results suggested extensive residues of neonicotinoids in honey in Chinese market with a variation by the characteristics of honey. The residues were likely to affect the health of honey bees, but showed no detectable effect on human health.

Accumulations and temporal trends of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in olive tree components

In this study, ambient air samples, olive tree branches (1- and 2-year-old) and their leaves (particulate and dissolved phase) were collected simultaneously between January and December months at a suburban site of Bursa-Turkey. Total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations, sampled by employing passive air samplers, ranged from 0.03 to 0.08 ng/m³ in the atmosphere. The average annual total PCB concentrations belonging to the tree components were 1.14 ± 0.32 ng/g DM in dissolved phase in leaves, 0.71 ± 0.32 ng/g DM in particle phase on leaves, 1.06 ± 0.25 ng/g DM in 1-year-old branches, and 0.93 ± 0.23 ng/g DM in 2-year-old branches. It was determined that the correlation between PCB concentrations in olive tree components and the air was low. This result indicated that besides the tree-air exchange, other possible factors (such as soil-to-tree transitions, wind effect, etc.) affect the levels of PCB concentrations in the tree components. Total PCB concentrations decreased from summer to winter in all samples. The percentage ratio of PCB in the dissolved phase in the leaves was generally higher than other tree components in seasons. PCB homologous distributions indicated 5-CBs were dominant in the tree components and 3-CBs were dominant in the air samples. Highly chlorinated PCB congeners (8-CBs and 9-CBs) were found at low concentrations in both air and tree components samples. The samples indicated that the ratio of PCBs in tree components to the total (tree component+ambient air) PCBs slightly increased with increasing the chlorine number.

Occurrence and exposure assessment of Aflatoxin M1 in milk and milk products in India

Milk containing Aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) poses a serious health risk to consumers. Present study was undertaken to determine levels of AFM₁ in 146 milk and value added dairy products sold in retail markets of Chhattisgarh, India using HPLC coupled with fluorescence detector. A total of 52 samples (35.6%) were found to contain AFM₁ with overall concentrations ranging from nd - 2.608 µg/L. The contamination levels were higher in non-fermented milk products than fermented milk products samples, although this difference was statistically non-significant (p > 0.05). AFM₁ concentrations above maximum permissible limits established by the European Commission were found in 94.2% of positive samples. Health risk assessments ascertained that the estimated daily intakes for AFM₁ is higher than the established tolerable daily intakes for both adults and children (Hazard Index > 1), there by implying a potentially high risk to consumer's health. Current investigation provides valuable information regarding contamination of raw as well as value added milk products sold in Indian markets. Therefore, to protect consumer's health and promote dairy trade; there is an urgent need to increase farmer's knowledge on good storage practices of feed and fodder. Further, stringent enforcement of food safety regulations is imperative to safeguard and promote human health.

In-vitro and in-silico antibacterial activity of Azadirachta indica (Neem), methanolic extract, and identification of Beta.d-Mannofuranoside as a promising antibacterial agent

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance became the leading cause of death globally, resulting in an urgent need for the discovery of new, safe, and efficient antibacterial agents. Compounds derived from plants can provide an essential source of new types of antibiotics. A. indica (neem) plant is rich in antimicrobial phytoconstituents. Here, we used the sensitive and reliable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) approach, for the quantitative and quantitative determination of bioactive constituents in methanolic extract of neem leaves grown in Sudan. Subsequently, antibacterial activity, pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties were utilized using in silico tools.

RESULTS

The methanolic extract of neem leaves was found to have antibacterial activity against all pathogenic and reference strains. The lowest concentration reported with bacterial activity was 3.125%, which showed zones of inhibition of more than 10 mm on P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, Citrobacter spp., and E. coli, and 8 mm on Proteus spp., E. faecalis, S. epidermidis, and the pathogenic S. aureus. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 30 chemical compounds, including fatty acids (11), hydrocarbons (9), pyridine derivatives (2), aldehydes (2), phenol group (1), aromatic substances (1), coumarins (1), and monoterpenes (1). In silico and in vitro tools revealed that.beta.d-Mannofuranoside, O-geranyl was the most active compound on different bacterial proteins. It showed the best docking energy (-8 kcal/mol) and best stability with different bacterial essential proteins during molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. It also had a good minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (32 μg/ml and 64 μg/ml) against S. aureus (ATCC 25,923) and E. coli (ATCC 25,922) respectively.

CONCLUSION

The methanolic extract of A. indica leaves possessed strong antibacterial activity against different types of bacteria. Beta.d-Mannofuranoside, O-geranyl was the most active compound and it passed 5 rules of drug-likeness properties. It could therefore be further processed for animal testing and clinical trials for its possible use as an antibacterial agent with commercial values.

Consumption of Pila globosa (Swainson) collected from organophosphate applied paddy fields: human health risks

Unregulated use of chlorpyrifos (CPF) and monocrotophos (MCP) in agriculture casts adverse effects on non-target freshwater mollusc, Pila globosa and humans. Levels of CPF and MCP were assessed in the paddy field from the edible foot tissue of apple snail (Pila globosa) exposed to low (1.5 ml l^-1 water) and high (2.5 ml l^-1 water) agricultural doses for 48 h to determine human health risk associated with consumption of tissue. CPF and MCP were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and analysed by QuEChERS method using GC-MS/MS. For low and high concentrations of CPF exposure, the pesticide residue levels in the paddy field water ranged from 4.43 to 1.08 and 5.13 to 1.53 µg l^-1, respectively, whereas, for low and high concentrations of MCP exposure, the residue levels in water ranged from 16.43 to 5.78 and 31.41 to 9. 27 µg l^-1, respectively, for 3-48 h. In the foot tissue, residues ranged from 4.36 to 15.54 µg kg^-1 for low-dose CPF, 7.1 to 18.05 µg kg^-1for high-dose CPF and from 5.28 to 12.3 µg kg^-1 and 8.94 to 18.21 µg kg^-1 for low and high dose of MCP, respectively, during 3 to 48 h of exposure. Pesticides in the tissue were lower than the recommended maximum residue limits. Estimated health risk for adults and children revealed that the estimated daily intake values did not exceed the threshold values of acceptable daily intake. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health effects were less than the safe value of 1.0 and 1 × 10^-6, respectively, suggesting that CPF and MCP residues from ingestion of apple snail posed low risks to both children and adults. This preliminary result suggests regular monitoring of pesticides residues in Pila globosa collected from the paddy field of India.

Multi-residue determination of pesticides in vegetables and assessment of human health risks in Western Himalayan region of India

This study was aimed to determine pesticides concentrations in fresh vegetables and assess human health risks in North-Western Himalayan region of India. Vegetable samples (n = 300) collected randomly from different agro-climatic zones were analyzed for 19 pesticides using gas chromatography. Pesticide residues were detected in 116 samples, of which 49 samples exceeded maximum permissible limits established by European Commission. Hexaconazole was most frequently detected in 9.3% samples followed by aldrin (8.3%), alachlor (5.3%), bifenthrin (4.3%), chlorpyrifos (3.7%), metribuzin (2.7%), β-endosulfan, ethion, β-HCH (2%, each), γ-HCH (1.3%), α-HCH, δ-HCH, malathion, heptachlor (1%, each), and α-endosulfan, pendimethalin in 0.7% samples. Human health risk assessment revealed that the percent contribution to acceptable daily intakes of pesticides via dietary intake of vegetables ranged from 0.014 to 39.4% in children and 0.003 to 9.85% in adults. Although hazard index values were < 1 but considering the concentrations of detected pesticide in samples, children were found to be at more risk. Since pragmatic investigations on occurrence of pesticides in vegetables and human health risk assessment from study area have not yet been worked out, so, this study highlights the importance of adopting good agricultural practices, awareness on food safety, monitoring of harmful chemicals in food commodities, and execution of food safety regulations to safeguard environmental and human health.

Determination of antibiotic residues in bovine milk by HPLC-DAD and assessment of human health risks in Northwestern Himalayan region, India

Antibiotic residues in milk affects economics of dairy industry and poses health risks to consumers. This study aimed to assess health risks associated with presence of antibiotics in 173 raw and pasteurized milk sampled from northwestern Himalayan state of India. The oxytetracycline and amoxicillin were quantitatively analyzed using validated HPLC-DAD. Methods were selective and linear (R² > 0.99) with decision limit and detection capability of 1.4 and 0.9 µg/kg and 2.5 and 1.5 µg/kg for oxytetracycline and amoxicillin, respectively. Recoveries ranged from 88-98% with relative standard deviation < 10%. Oxytetracycline and amoxicillin were detected in 8.1% and 1.2% samples, with 1.7% and 1.2% samples exceeding the tolerance limits, respectively. Health risk assessment revealed that estimated daily intakes of antibiotics through milk were lower than acceptable daily intakes (ADI). However, children might receive 9-21% of determined ADI through milk consumption only. Therefore, continuous, sub-therapeutic and long term exposures of antibiotics can pose health risk to consumers. Hence, current findings elucidate the need for vigilant monitoring of antibiotics accompanied by educational programs to farmers for adopting good husbandry practices and adherence to withdrawal periods to meet the expectations of food safety and safeguarding human health.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version of this article contains supplementary material available at (10.1007/s13197-021-04988-8).

Occurrence of Pesticide Residues in Spanish Honey Measured by QuEChERS Method Followed by Liquid and Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In the current study, the QuEChERS extraction method with slight modifications, followed by liquid and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, was applied for the determination of 399 pesticide residues in 91 raw honey samples from northeastern Spain. The quality control procedure established in Document No. SANTE/12682/2019 was successfully followed: the responses in reagent blank and blank honey samples were below 30% of the reporting limit (0.01 mg kg⁻¹) for all analysed compounds, the correlation coefficients (R²) were higher than 0.99 in most calibration curves, the deviation of back-calculated concentration from the true concentration was below ±20% (using the standard of 50 μg L⁻¹ concentration), and the recoveries of spiked samples on matrix were within the range of 70–120% for almost all analytes. Only chlorfenvinphos (2–7.8 ng/g) and coumaphos (8.8–37 ng/g) were detected in 13 samples, and neither were observed to exceed their maximum residue limits (MRLs). Dietary risk assessment for pesticide residues in honey above their lowest calibrated level (LCL) was performed, and two different age groups, adults and infants, were considered as populations at risk. The contribution of honey lay far below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for both pesticide residues. Therefore, according to our results, honey is unlikely to pose concerns for consumer health in terms of its contribution to dietary long-term exposure. However, to maintain the level of compliance, pesticide residues in honey should be continuously monitored.

The Influence of Chemical Contaminants on the Physicochemical Properties of Unifloral and Multifloral Honey

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of antibiotic and pesticide residues on the physicochemical properties of unifloral and multifloral honey. The mineral elements content of honey was analyzed and correlated with antibiotic and pesticide residues, and a positive correlation was found between manganese and neonicotinoids. Potassium was found to be the most abundant mineral compound. Correlations were found between mineral content, color, and the content of antibiotic and pesticide residues of honey. In meadow honey, residues of antibiotics and pesticides were undetectable. In some of the other types of honey, the maximum residue limits regulated by European legislation were exceeded. Endosulfan residue was found in mint and rapeseed, honey with 0.42 and 5.14 ng/g, respectively. Neonicotinoids were found in 27% of the analyzed honey samples. Chloramphenicol was identified only in rapeseed honey, with concentrations ranging from 0.2 ng/g to 0.8 ng/g. Nitrofurans were found in 14%, and nitroimidazoles were found in 6% of the analyzed samples. According to EU legislation that is in force, the use of antibiotics in beekeeping is not allowed. The MRLs for neonicotinoids are 50 ng/g, and for coumaphos, the maximum limit is 100 ng/g. For the other pesticide residues, the maximum limit is 10 ng/g. The results of statistical analysis obtained using principal component analysis (PCA) showed a major difference in the levels of contamination of raspberry and meadow honey and the other types of honey.

Organochlorine pesticide residues in Uganda's honey as a bioindicator of environmental contamination and reproductive health implications to consumers

Honey has multifaceted nutritional and medicinal values; however, its quality is hinged on the floral origin of the nectar. Taking advantage of the large areas that they cover; honeybees are often used as bioindicators of environmental contamination. The focus of the present paper was to examine the quality of honey from within the vicinity of an abandoned pesticide store in Masindi District in western Uganda. Surficial soils (<20 cm depths) and honey samples were collected from within the vicinity of the abandoned pesticide store and analysed for organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues using gas chromatograph coupled to an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The mean level of ∑DDTs in all the soil samples was 503.6 µg/kg dry weight (d.w). ∑DDTs contributed 92.2% to the ∑OCPs contamination loads in the soil samples, and others (lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, and endosulfans) contributed only 7.8%. Ratio (p, p'-DDE+p, p'-DDD)/p, p'-DDT of 1.54 suggested historical DDT input in the area. In all the honey samples, the mean level of ∑DDTs was 20.9 µg/kg. ∑DDTs contributed 43.3% to ∑OCPs contamination loads in the honey samples, followed by lindane (29.8%), endosulfans (23.6%) and dieldrin (3.2%), with corresponding mean levels of 14.4, 11.4 and 1.55 µg/kg, respectively. Reproductive risk assessment was done based on the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) procedure. In our study, the calculated HIs for adults (102.38), and children (90.33) suggested high potential health risks to the honey consumers. Lindane, endosulfan and p, p'-DDD detected in the honey samples at levels exceeding the acute reference dose (ARfD) are known risk factors for spontaneous abortion, reduced implantation, menstrual cycle shortening, impaired semen quality, and prostate cancer in exposed individuals and experimental animal models.

Determination of DDT in honey samples by liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature purification (LLE-LTP) combined to HPLC-DAD

Honey is widely consumed worldwide, however, this food can be contaminated by chemical contaminants, such as the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Despite legal restrictions on DDT use, this organochlorine pesticide has been detected in honey collected in several developed and developing countries, representing risks to human health, animals, and the environment due to its high environmental persistence, potential carcinogenicity, and ecotoxicological effects. Thus, the development of an analytical method for DDT monitoring in this matrix is important to ensure food security. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize and validate a simple, low-cost, and efficient method using the liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature purification (LLE-LTP) to determine DDT in honey samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The proposed method was validated according to SANTE guidelines, being considered selective, precise, accurate, and linear in the range of 8.0-160 μg kg^-1. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) achieved were 4.0 and 8.0 μg kg^-1, respectively. This LOQ value is lower than the maximum residue limit established by the Brazilian and European Union legislation. Therefore, the LLE-LTP combined to HPLC-DAD allows the routine analysis of DDT in honey samples and can be widely applied in studies to monitor this pesticide, especially in developing countries, where DDT use is still allowed.

Pesticide residues in honey and their potential reproductive toxicity

Honey is the sweet natural substance produced by honeybees. It may be contaminated with pesticide residues due to its intensive use. Almost no reviews have addressed pesticide residues in honey, calculated a hazard index or discussed their potential reproductive toxicity. The focus of this article is primarily to summarize advances in research related to pesticide residues, estimate daily intake of pesticide residues from consuming honey only and discuss the potential reproductive toxicity associated with those residues. The results showed that 92 pesticide residues were found in honey samples from 27 countries. Six residues belong to class IA toxicity, eight residues belong to class IB toxicity, 42 residues belong to class II, 35 residues belong to class III and one residue belong to class IV toxicity. The calculated hazard indices (HIs) suggest high potential health risk by consuming honey. In addition, residues found in honey are known to impair semen quality among exposed individuals and experimental animal models. In conclusion, consumption of honey as one of many food items contaminated with pesticide residues may induce male and female reproductive toxicity in consumers.

Residues of antibiotics in raw honeys from different apiaries of Northern India and evaluation of human health risks

Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in apicultural practices may lead to contamination of otherwise healthy and naturally produced honey. Contamination not only affects honey quality but also pose significant health risks to consumers. In this context, one hundred raw honey samples from India were analysed for presence of antibiotic residues. For determination of oxytetracycline and erythromycin, high performance liquid chromatography and for chloramphenicol, enzyme immunoassay based validated procedures were used. Oxytetracycline and erythromycin with concentrations above maximum tolerance limits were detected in 24% and 2% samples, respectively. None of the samples contained chloramphenicol residues. Although, total dietary intake of detected antibiotics through honey was found to be <1% of their acceptable daily intake values, the presence of antibiotics in honey is an alarming health concern for people following customary honey feeding. The outcomes underline the need of inter-sectoral approaches to create awareness among beekeepers regarding health risks associated with residues of antibiotics in honey and merits of approved apicultural practices. Therefore, to meet global food safety requirements, continual residue monitoring schemes along with enlightenment of beekeepers on scientific beehive management and risks associated with incautious apicultural practices are of vital importance.