Challenges in preparing honey samples for chromatographic determination of contaminants and trace residues

The determination of contaminants and trace residues in honey has been of growing concern over the past few years, especially because these compounds can detract from the beneficial properties of honey, and, more importantly, if they are present in significant amounts, they can pose a serious threat to human health. Since honey has a complex matrix, it is often necessary to apply a clean-up step in order to eliminate interfering compounds prior to analysis. We briefly discuss the chemical composition and some medical properties of honey and describe the main sources of contamination of honey. We discuss the need for extensive sample preparation, including extraction and clean-up.