Unsafe Honey

[Buzz Off]

What would make honey unsafe for human consumption?

 

[Arfermo]

Arsenic additive? Petrol? I read somewhere that unadulterated honey was found in one of the 2000+yo pyramids in Egypt some years ago! How about that!!

 

[Murox]

Interesting, but what's your real question ? If in doubt, throw it out.

Honey is a dense, acidic sugary thing and I reckon you would be hard pressed to make it unsafe for human consumption. Of course it might ferment if the water content was too high, and certain bacteria can still 'grow' albeit more slowly. Contamination, adulteration, incorrect storage might cause it to 'go off', other than the neurotoxin C. botulinum I would have thought contamination during processing, from equipment, containers, wind, dust, insects, animals and water would be the most likely candidates.

 

[Apple]

contamination.

However when the supermarket Chinese honey is adulterated with corn syrup... officially it is no longer honey according to our UK Honey Regs.... only breaking laws on labeling!!

 

[Antipodes]

What would make honey unsafe for human consumption?

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/botulism.aspx
But do note Australian honey has "never been implicated" apparently and surveys of Australian honey has failed to find it.

https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/disease-information-advice/botulism

 

[roche]

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/botulism.aspx
But do note Australian honey has "never been implicated" apparently and surveys of Australian honey has failed to find it.

https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/disease-information-advice/botulism

Honey containing tutin can be produced by honey bees feeding on honeydew produced by sap-sucking vine hopper insects (genus Scolypopa) feeding on tutu.[2] The last recorded deaths from eating honey containing tutin were in the 1890s,[3] although sporadic outbreaks of toxic honey poisoning continue to occur.[4] Poisoning symptoms include delirium, vomiting, and coma.[5]

But not likely to occur in the UK...

 

[Jb.robert]

There is perhaps the case of honeycombs taken from a wild colony under an insulated roof or in a wall. I would be concerned about the rock wool/fibreglass dust created while accessing the combs.

 

[Apple]

There is perhaps the case of honeycombs taken from a wild colony under an insulated roof or in a wall. I would be concerned about the rock wool/fibreglass dust created while accessing the combs.

I would be more concerned about the swarm/other collector breathing in the asbestos dust!
I would not be selling or using honey thus collected!

 

[Michael ECB's]

What would make honey unsafe for human consumption?

Excuse the long winded reply....

When someone has unsuccessfully used poison or chemicals to remove a wild colony. That could be dangerous.
Most of the time, the guilty parties never admit to it - even after pulling out cans of doom fogger from ceilings...
I dont believe honey harvested from "questionable " cutout or removals should be sold ,,,, ever!

However, I only use honey from my removals for personal use... in my opinion, it is far superior to the newer fresher honey harvested from my supers...
Wild honey here is usually dark, found in very very old comb and very mature/strong... I love it...
when I cut out from asbestos roofs - simple.
Cut off brood and frame it.
Cut off honey comb 2cm below roof and save it. (The best ever)
scraps go to robbers who usually clean the site up for me..

If you do cutouts and want to use the honey you must use care,,, as far as roof insulation and fibre glass debris.
Bees are such good houskeepers.... usually, there is no insulation left under the comb in roofs - The bees have removed it - GONE!
That think pink stuff = missing ????
Combs are spotlessly clean.....
In brick walls the same... If need be, spray a bit of water of the honey comb to wash off cement dust...

Well, thats the way I do it anyway...

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've been sent this.
The honey detectives are closing in on China’s shady syrup swindlers
Im not sure if this is relevant to this thread.

 

[Buzz Off]

Interesting, but what's your real question ? If in doubt, throw it out.

Honey is a dense, acidic sugary thing and I reckon you would be hard pressed to make it unsafe for human consumption. Of course it might ferment if the water content was too high, and certain bacteria can still 'grow' albeit more slowly. Contamination, adulteration, incorrect storage might cause it to 'go off', other than the neurotoxin C. botulinum I would have thought contamination during processing, from equipment, containers, wind, dust, insects, animals and water would be the most likely candidates.

I saw it as an exam question and my thoughts are similar fermentation, contamination, storage and perhaps chemicals from bee treatments and toxic substances i.e c botulinum