Evaluation of purification schemes in the determination of tylosin in honey using high performance liquid chromatography

Tylosin residues have been isolated from honey samples by dilution with water containing sodium bicarbonate, adsorption on a neutral solid-phase extraction cartridge, elution with methanol, and quantification using HPLC. This method gives approx 95% recovery of tylosin and a quantification limit of less than or equal to 0.2 mg/kg, but shows minor interferences in some honeys. Extraction of tylosin from honey with organic solvents according to a published method gave extracts contaminated with honey. Subsequent purification on solid-phase extraction cartridges, and analysis by HPLC gave improved purity of the isolated antibiotic but recoveries of only 8.6% (chloroform) to 30.9% (acetonitrile).