Removing (tau)-fluvalinate residues from press-extracted honey

Honey is obtained from the hives of European honeybees. Honeybees can be infested by Varroa parasitism, which affects honey production. The acaricide (tau)-fluvalinate used in beehives to control Varroa mites, can leave its residues in honey, pollen and wax. A monitoring study was undertaken to determine the -fluvalinate residues in honey samples taken from treated hives. The (tau)-fluvalinate residues were determined by gas chromatography using a short, non-polar packed column with electron capture detection. Analysis of 50 samples showed an average residue level of 15(mu)g kg^-1. The same samples were filtered through Whatman filter paper to separate the honey from residual suspended particles. The filtered honeys showed no acaricide residues above the detection limit of 3 (mu)g kg ^-1, while the average residue level determined in the sediments was 392 (mu)g kg ^-1. Thus the residues of (tau)-fluvalinate in honey can be eliminated by separating the honey from residual suspended particles that contain acaricide residues