I got this from a blog which oversees healthy living. Something we all need
to know because it makes us more respect local honey bees and honey
producers.
Best, Diann
January 09, 2009
Tainted Honey from China
QUESTION:
This crossed my desk this morning - another reason to buy LOCAL!
From NewsInferno.com
China Honey Latest Food Safety Worry
Date Published: Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Honey is the latest Chinese food import to raise safety worries in the
United States, reports the San Francisco Gate. According to the report, the
United States has imported the majority of its honey from China for years,
despite concerns that it might be contaminated with a dangerous antibiotic.
Over 10 years ago, in 1997, a contagious bacterial epidemic infected bee
larvae in hundreds of thousands of Chinese hives, resulting in the majority
of that country's honey production being cut by two-thirds, said the SF
Gate. The report explains that while Chinese beekeepers could have destroyed
the infected hives, they, instead, applied a dangerous, extremely toxic,
banned antibiotic. According to Michael Burkett, professor emeritus at
Oregon State University and an international bee and honey expert, this was
the wrong choice, "You hear about people shooting themselves in the foot?
Well, the Chinese honey-sellers shot themselves in the head," he told the SF
Gate.
The problem is that China used a cheap, broad-spectrum antibiotic called
chloramphenicol, to treat its hives; chloramphenicol is considered so toxic
it is only used in the most serious of infectious cases in humans and only
when all other alternatives have been exhausted, said the SF Gate. "That's
on the big no-no list," Burkett said, adding that, "In the U.S., Canada, and
the European Union, chloramphenicol is on everyone's zero-tolerance list."
Regardless, the Chinese chose to dose its hives with the dangerous drug and
now, those honey buyers who test for it, find the banned antibiotic in the
imported honey, said the SF Gate.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says tainted Chinese honey is
high on its watch list. According to the SF Gate report, the FDA considers a
food adulterated if it contains an animal drug deemed unsafe for unapproved
uses. Chloramphenicol is such a drug and is illegal in food-producing
animals, including bees, in the U.S.
In 2005, China's Ministry of Agriculture banned the drug in food production;
however, it seems that Chinese beekeepers are violating the ban, said the SF
Gate. It is impossible to determine safe residue levels for the toxic drug,
Steve Roach, public health director of Keep Antibiotics Working, told SF
Gate. "If the Chinese authorities are unable to keep this drug from being
used, then no imports of honey from China should be allowed," he said.. The
FDA says chloramphenicol has been linked to aplastic anemia, a serious blood
disorder, said SF Gate.
Meanwhile, Seattle PI wrote about its investigation into the growing trend
in honey trafficking. Because U.S. bee colonies are dying off, import demand
has increased, with traders looking to bypass tariffs and health safeguards
by diluting honey or tainting the product with pesticides and antibiotics,
said Seattle PI. China is known to "transship," or launder the honey in
other countries to avoid U.S. import fees and tariffs on imports that
intentionally lowball domestic prices. Seattle PI noted that honey from
China comes to the U.S. as being falsely labeled as tariff-free from Russia,
or from countries that have small bee populations or no known export
production. According to Seattle PI, only a small fraction of honey imported
into the U.S. is inspected and the U.S, government has not legally defined
honey, posing challenges for enforcement agents working to keep tainted
honey out of the country.
POSTED BY MONICA :: ROSE OF SHARON ACRE :: WWW.ROSEOFSHARONACRES.COM ::
TEXAS USA :: 10:26 AM
DEBRA'S ANSWER:
This is what happens when we have international commerce for foods.
There is no need to import honey from China. Bees make honey right here in
America. Honey is imported because we want more honey than our own bees
make. Prior to industrial consumerism, for millenia people ate the foods
that were available in their local ecosystems, in the amounts that were
available. Today we import from around the world to satisfy the whim of the
consumer. It's out of balance with nature. And it's led to all these
problems.
Honey is not inherently an unhealthful food, but the manner in which it is
produced is dangerous and honey is not well labeled.
If you want to eat honey, find a local producer at a farmer's market or your
local natural food store. Then you can learn for yourself how the honey is
handled and where the bees are flying. See if you have a local beekeepers
association. It's also better to eat local honey because it helps your body
tolerate the local pollen.
Here are more recent articles about honey, from the Seatlle
Post-Intelligencer:
Don't let claims on honey labels dupe you: If it's made in America, it's
likely not organic This one is the most important to read, as it discusses
what's on the honey labels and government regulations.
Honey Laundering: A sticky trail of intrigue and crime
Antibiotic use could taint honey's reputation as a miracle drug
U.S. honey producers don't have it easy, and some say industry board isn't
helping
Experts call for better U.S. standards for honey
Honey isn't all sweetness, experts warn
Debra :-)
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