Survey of bee diseases, chemical and drug residues in honey and bee products in Thailand

Abstract

National survey of bee diseases, chemical and drug residues in honey and bee products had beenconducted, by random sampling of 384 samples of bee and 120 samples of honey, during November 2002 to March2003. The survey results of bee diseases revealed that Thailand was free from 3 diseases, namely American foulbrood,Ascariosis and Sac brood whereas Varroasis, Tropilaelaps, Nosemosis and European foulbrood were detected atlow percentages as 19.27, 14.58, 9.38 and 8.07 respectively. When disease prevalence was analysed by region, thehighest prevalence was found in the north, especially in Chiangmai (13.02%), Lumpoon (11.71%) and Chiangrai(10.67%) and the northeast was found to be the second rank. Whereas the disease prevalence in the east and the southwas very low and certain provinces were free from all 7 bee diseases, namely Chaiyabhum, Udonthani, Chumporn,Suratthani and Songkla. The survey results of chemical residues (groups of carbamate, organophosphate, pyrethoid,organochlorine) and drug residues (chloramphenicol, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, sulfamethazone,sulfaquinoxaline and flumequine) showed neither chemical nor drug residues was detected in all 120 samples ofhoney. The data obtained from this survey including the arrangement for bee farming standards and national plan forbee diseases and residues monitoring resulted in the official announcement of the European Union (EU) under theCommission Decision 2004/432/EC of 29 April 2003 to include Thailand in the list of third countries that be able toexport honey and bee products to EU.