What is honey composition

[Finman]

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August 2009, Stefan Bogdanov


http://www.bee-hexagon.net/files/file/fileE/Honey/5CompositionHoney.pdf



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[MJBee]

Heavy reading but interesting - thanks Finman

 

[Somerford]

on this topic - has anyone actually tested their honey and found Botulism in it ? I ask this as it is common advice not to feed infants honey as it can contain it.

My elder little one loves the stuff and he certainly has never shown signs of being infected.

Is there a food scientist out there who can shed some light on it ?

 

[BKF Admin]

In the uk there has only ever been 6 reported cases of childhood botulism,non caused by honey.

Botulism spores can be found in soil and hoover bags,you cant tell kids not to eat mud so they chose honey instead as traces have been found in the past.

Isaiah 7:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good."

You also get Botulism from corn syrup but I have not seen rusk manufacturers rushing to say dont feed to under ones.

 

[Hombre]

Realistically

If anyone had tested their honey and found botulism in it, don't you think that they would be a little coy about mentioning it in their local confessional, never mind shouting about it on here?

Don't tell me, it was a trick question!

 

[Finman]

.
here is a 3 years reseach from Scandinavian honey

Name: Clostridium botulinum in honey production with respect to infant botulism
Author: Nevas, Mari
Other outhers: University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene

date: 2006-04-07
level: Doctoral dissertation (article-based)



A total of 190 samples from honey sold in Finland were studied by PCR to determine whether C. botulinum spores of types A and B were present. Spores of C. botulinum were detected in 8 of the 114 Finnish (7%) and in 12 of the 76 imported honey samples (16%). In addition, 294 honey samples produced in Denmark, Norway and Sweden were studied using multiplex-PCR for the presence of C. botulinum type A, B, E and F spores. The prevalence of C. botulinum showed a significant variation between Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the proportions of positive samples in each country being 26%, 10% and 2%, respectively. Type B was most frequently detected. The 24 strains isolated were confirmed to be proteolytic and were analysed with PFGE using restriction enzyme SacII. Twelve different PFGE patterns were produced. Three clearly distinguishable clusters containing more than three strains were noted, one of which included strains isolated in both from Denmark and Norway.

 

[Repwoc]

Conclusion: a lot of honey contains botulism?

I wonder if similar studies have been done on other foods sold in jars, eg jam.

 

[oliver90owner]

eg jam.

Subtle difference in temperatures involved here.

Regards, RAB

 

[Finman]

A former research

Received 7 May 2001;

Abstract
A test protocol for reliable detection of Clostridium botulinum types A and B spores in honey by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed and used for a prevalence survey of C. botulinum spores in 190 honey samples. The inhibiting effects of honey on microbial growth and PCR analysis were overcome by using a method of supernatant filtration (SF) in the preparation of the samples before enrichment and PCR. By using this method, an inoculum of 0.1 spore of C. botulinum/g honey could be detected. In the prevalence survey, spores of C. botulinum were detected in 8 (7%) of the 114 Finnish and in 12 (16%) of the 76 imported honey samples. The quantity of spores in PCR-positive samples varied from less than 18 to 140 spores/kg. Neurotoxin gene sequences corresponding to C. botulinum type A were detected in 17 samples and proteolytic type B in 12 samples by PCR analysis. Both types A and B were detected in nine samples. Strains of C. botulinum type A were isolated from 14 and type B from 2 of the 20 PCR-positive samples. This is the first report of type A spores of C. botulinum being detected and isolated in Fennoscandia.

 

[Finman]

Conclusion: a lot of honey contains botulism?

I wonder if similar studies have been done on other foods sold in jars, eg jam.

There are two ways to get botulism: spores into babys gut and bacteria poison production in the absence of oxygen.

Vacum packed smoked or toasted fish is one origin of botulism.
So poison is allredy inside package when adult eate food.