Degradation of erythromycin in honey and selection of suitable marker residues for food safety analysis

► The stability of erythromycin A (EA) in honey was studied. ► EA degraded rapidly in honey stored at hive temperature (35 °C) or room temperature. ► The half-life of EA was less than one day at 35 °C and less than three days at 22 °C. ► The major degradation product was anhydroerythromycin A. ► The parent drug EA is itself not a suitable marker residue for food safety testing.