ANTIBIOTICS RESIDUE AND RESISTANCE PROFILE OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES IN IMPORTED AND LOCALLY PRODUCED HONEY FROM LOCATIONS WITHIN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS OF THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

Honey remains a valued natural product and has been used by humans as an important food source and for disease treatment since ancient times. Honey is often considered a healthy substitute to sugar. However, recent reports on adulteration of honey, and honey polluted with contaminants like pesticides, antibiotics, heavy metals as well as microorganisms have gained public attention. This news has instigated public fear on the consumption of honey since it is perceived to be sterile and of medicinal use. There have been few works in Ghana on the physicochemical properties and microbial contamination of honey. However, there is no known studies on Listeria, Campylobacter and Clostridium contamination of honey. Neither is there any report of detection of antibiotic residues in honey. Thus, this study assessed the quality and safety of imported and locally produced honey collected from locations within the Tamale metropolis of Ghana by specifically examining the microbial quality and antibiotic residues. The procedures outlined by the Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC) was employed in determining the physicochemical quality whilst that described by the Codex Alimentarius Commission was used to determine the microbial quality of the imported (n = 7) and the locally produced (n = 23) honey samples. Whereas the presence of antibiotics residue was determined using the Premi® test kit, antibiotics sensitivity testing was done according to the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results on the physicochemical quality analysis showed that sampled honey (both imported and locally produced) were within acceptable set standards. However, results on the physicochemical quality of the honey samples did not reflect on its microbial quality as high incidence of bacterial contamination and resistances was recorded in the study. Furthermore, 27(90%) of the honey samples tested positive for the presence of antibiotics residue of which 6(85.7%) were samples from imported source whilst the remaining 21(91.3%) were locally produced honey samples. High incidence of bacterial contamination and antibiotic resistance recorded in this study gives an indication that all is not well in the honey industry and therefore the need for serious concern to avert possible health issues associated with the consumption of honey found within the metropolis.