Effect of Various Thermal Treatments on Erythromycin Residues and Degradation Products in Turbot Fish Meat: Implications for Food Safety

Erythromycin, a widely utilized antibiotic in aquaculture, poses potential food safety risks through residues in fish products. However, research on the effects of thermal processing on its degradation remains limited. This study developed a sensitive detection method using UHPLC-Q-Exactive HF-X to quantify erythromycin and its degradation products, investigating influences of various thermal treatments and predicting additional degradants. Turbot meat samples spiked with erythromycin were processed via roasting, microwaving, deep frying, and boiling. Post-treatment degradants were identified, with potential metabolites forecasted through structural analysis. The results indicated that erythromycin rapidly degrades under all thermal treatments, with boiling and roasting promoting substantial formation of dehydration products (anhydroerythromycin A and erythromycin A enol ether). The content of N-demethylerythromycin A remained consistently low and stable (