Food Hazards Associated with Honey (II) - Heavy Metals, Pesticides and Toxins

Food Hazards Associated with Honey (II) - Heavy Metals, Pesticides and Toxins

YY TSANG

(CMA Testing and Certification Laboratories)

Previous article mentioned that honey has been detected with antibiotics or antimicrobials. Indeed, other food hazards like heavy metals, pesticides and toxins can also be found in honey.

Heavy Metals in Honey

In early 2015, China Consumers’ Association (CCA) compared the quality and safety aspects of 30 honey products sold in Mainland China, including locally produced and imported honey products. One of the test parameters was the contents of heavy metals (including lead, arsenic, cadmium and chromium).

Photo Source：China Consumers’ Association, 2015 http://www.cca.org.cn/jmxf/detail/21378.html

Below are the findings：

In Mainland China, the national standard (GB2762 – 2012 Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Food) only specifies the tolerance level of lead content in honey (< 1 mg/kg), but not other heavy metals. In Hong Kong, our food law (Cap 132 V Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations) also has not stipulated the maximum levels of cadmium and chromium in honey.

However, consumers need not be too worried. This is because based on the levels of heavy metals detected in the honey samples, adverse health effects will not be caused under normal consumption.

Although the study has not found anything that we need to worry about, we must be aware that the elemental contents in honey can be affected by the plant sources of honey and the place of origin. In this connection, it is essential to periodically check heavy metal contents in different honey products sold in the market. This helps to ensure they are fit for human consumption.

Pesticides in Honey

Detection of pesticides in honey is possibly due to excessive use of chemicals for protecting bees. For example, researchers1 stated that many years ago honey in China was found to contain tau-fluvalinate (a pesticide), with a residual level up to 0.26 mg/kg。

1何旭 田自珍 蜂蜜中農藥與抗生素殘對人體的安全性評估研究 中國蜂業 2009, 60 (5)

In addition, Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) also detected a pesticide called bifenthrin in organic honey in year 2011.

Photo Source：TVBS, 2015

http://news.tvbs.com.tw/old-news.html?nid=578600

Environmental pollution can also lead to pesticide contamination in honey. Some pesticides (e.g. HCH and DDT) have been banned for several years, but they are difficult to be degraded and therefore persist in the environment. They migrate into and concentrate in plants and animals, and finally appear in honey.

On the other hand, Consumer Council2 once studied the levels of pesticide residues in honey sold in Hong Kong in year 2013. Traces of the pesticide residue “Amitraz” were detected in 6 honey samples (up to 28 mg/kg)。

2 Sugars-Adulteration and Antibiotics Residues Detected in Honey - CHOICE

https://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_en/news/press_releases/p44101.html

Toxins in Honey

Two years ago few local citizens showed the symptoms of “mad honey poisoning” after consumption of honey brought from the Black Sea region of Turkey. Implicated honey products were found to contain a neurotoxin called “Grayanotoxin” which can affect the normal functions of nerves and muscles.

Such a toxin is naturally occurring in plants belonging to Ericaceae family including rhododendrons. If bees source honey from poisonous flowers, then honey produced may also contain toxins.

Suggestion

In order to ensure honey is fit for human consumption, “honey source” must be controlled along with product testing. For example, it is necessary to ensure bee farmers neither use prohibited chemicals nor excessive drug use, farm environment is free of contamination, flowers used to produce honey is not toxic, etc.

In addition, some peoples think that “Multiflora Honey” is safer for consumption because blending of honey from different sources can dilute the toxic substances present.

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