HONEY….

The Facts
Compliled by :R.Babu john

Ayurveda prescribes honey for a range of ailments. People eat it for rejuvenation and
boosting immunity. An Indian homemaker’s kitchen shelf is incomplete without a jar of this
amber liquid. But without quality and safety controls, this gift of nature has been
contaminated. CSE laboratory tests find high levels of antibiotics in well-known brands of
honey sold in the market. 

Honey sold within India is

never checked for
contaminants as there are no
standards in place (Photo:
Sayantan Bera)Universally,
honey is believed to be a
natural product.
Regulations across the
world say as much.
The Codex
Alimentarius
Commissionis a global
body set up jointly by the
UN’s Food and
Agriculture Organization
(FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop food standards for international
trade; it defines honey as “the natural sweet substance produced by honeybees from the
nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking
insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect, transform by combining with
specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in the honeycomb to
ripen and mature”.

This definition of honey is now threatened. In several countries, the beekeeping industry
uses antibiotics to control outbreaks of diseases in honeybees, and as growth promoters to
increase production. And these antibiotics are finding their way into that spoonful which
reaches the house-holder’s table. So what is the world doing about it?

INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS
Codex: Honey is an internationally traded commodity. Codex has set down standards for
the quality of the honey which is traded. But it has nothing to say on the presence of
antibiotics in honey.

European Union: EU regulates honey under the Council Directive2001/110/EC. The

standard for antibiotics in food (referred to asMaximum Residue Limits or MRLs) is listed
in Regulation (EU) No 37/2010—it stipulates that each antibiotic must have an MRL before it
can be used on a food-producing species. But there are no MRLs for antibiotics in honey,
which means EU does not allow the use of antibiotics for treatment of honeybees.

But EU member states do import honey. For regulating residues of antibiotics in this
imported honey, the bloc has set what are called RPAs, or ‘Reference Points for Action’.
RPAs are residue concentrations which are technically feasible to detect by food control
laboratories. When antibiotics are detected by a laboratory, the member state is obliged to
reject the consignment. Till date, RPAs have been established in honey for substances such
as chloramphenicol and nitrofurans. EU has also set a provisional MRL of 25 parts per billion
(ppb) for oxytetracycline in honey.

USA: In the US, MRLs for antibiotics in food are set by the US Food and Drug Administration
(USFDA), and listed in Title 21, Part 556 (21 CFR 556). There are no limits for antibiotics in
honey.

What does this mean? Are all kinds of antibiotics, in any amount, permitted in honey? Or
are antibiotics ‘unauthorised’ substances in honey and therefore, ‘illegal’?

Regulators in the EU and the US opine that they are ‘unauthorised’ and therefore ‘illegal’,
unless there is a standard regulating their levels. This is the reason why EU banned Indian
honey from entering its shores—it was found contaminated with high amounts of antibiotics.

Which brings us to the honey consumed within India. Does it have any safety standards?
Are there any regulations governing the presence of antibiotics in honey?

INDIAN REGULATIONS

In India, honey is currently regulated under three legislations:

 Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Rules, 1955, a mandatory standard, implemented by the

Food Safety and Standards Authority.
 The voluntary Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norm for extracted honey under IS4941:1994.
Brands wishing to obtain the ISI mark will have to follow it.
 Honey Grading and Marking rules, 2008 under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking)
Act, 1937 (AGMARK), implemented by the Union Ministry of Agriculture.
All three define honey as a “natural product” and lay down standards for its composition and
quality (like sucrose content, total reducing sugars and moisture content)—but there are no
standards for antibiotics in honey.

Does this mean that antibiotics in honey are ‘unauthorised’ and therefore, ‘illegal’, in India
as well?

Indian regulators believe if there are no standards, they can’t regulate. But this perception
undergoes a sea change when it comes to honey for export. Indian regulators take great
care to ensure the honey exported from the country is safe. For this, an elaborate system of
monitoring (called Residue Monitoring Plan or RMP) has been put in place, and the Exports
Inspection Council (EIC), under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries, has been
entrusted with the task of checking exports.

EIC standards: The EIC has set antibiotic standards for honey which is exported. This is
referred to as ‘Level of Action (LOA)’—the limit beyond which a sample is deemed non-
compliant and rejected for exports. These LOAs have been set for some antibiotics (see
table: ‘Doomed by definition’).

None of this, however, applies to honey sold in the domestic market. There are hardly any
reports on antibiotic contamination of honey consumed within the country. India also
imports honey, but there is no standard to check its quality either. Having come up against
this regulatory black hole, CSE’s Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML) decided to
probe just how much antibiotic-laden is the honey sold in the domestic market. By testing
some of the best known and most commonly ingested brands. A report.

 
The study

CSE’s Pollution Monitoring Laboratory tested 12 branded honey samples for 6 antibiotics.
These antibiotics are reportedly used for disease control and as growth promoters in
commercial honey production

Photo: Sayantoni PalchoudhuriOXYTETRACYCLINE

Belonging to the common antibiotic class of Tetracyclines, this

antibiotic is used by beekeepers against bacterial foul brood
diseases. The BIS recommends it for the treatment of
European foul brood disease.

HEALTH IMPACTS: Chronic exposure to oxytetracycline or

OTC can lead to bloodrelated disorders, liver injury and
delayed blood coagulation. It can damage calciumrich organs such as teeth and bones and
may cause nasal cavities to erode. Children under seven years of age may develop a
discoloration of the teeth; infants of mothers treated with OTC during pregnancy are prone
to a similar discoloration. Some other chronic effects of OTC include increased sensitivity to
the sun, wheezing and asthmatic attacks. Tetracyclines are not advised for use in treating
pregnant or lactating women and children under 12, except in certain conditions.

CHLORAMPHENICOL

It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. It has been banned from use in food-producing animals, in

many countries.

HEALTH IMPACTS:  Studies on humans indicate that chloramphenicol could be a potential

carcinogen and genotoxin. Repeated or prolonged exposure can lead to organ damage, bone
marrow toxicity etc, while longterm exposure can cause aplastic anaemia, a condition where
the bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. Aplastic
anaemia is idiosyncratic (rare, unpredictable, and unrelated to dose), generally fatal and
could be triggered by even small residues of chloramphenicol.
Several reports document human fatalities resulting from ophthalmic preparations
containing minuscule doses of chloramphenicol. Increased exposure to chloramphenicol
could mean an increased risk of childhood leukaemia as well.

AMPICILLIN

A Beta-lactam antibiotic, it is widely used in veterinary medicine for treatment and

prevention of bacterial diseases. However, it is not recommended for use on honeybees.

HEALTH IMPACTS:

Repeated exposure may cause allergic reactions, asthmatic attacks and other disorders.

ERYTHROMYCIN It is a Macrolide-class antibiotic used for poultry, and is now reportedly

being used to protect honeybees from bacterial diseases.

HEALTH IMPACTS: With chronic exposure, erythromycin can turn into a terratogen—a

reproductive hazard. Cardiac malformation has been observed in infants of women who had
taken this antibiotic in their early pregnancy. Exposure to erythromycin (especially long
courses at antimicrobial doses, and also through breastfeeding) has been linked to an
increased probability of pyloric stenosis (a condition affecting the gastro-intestinal tract,
leading to severe vomiting) in young infants.

ENROFLOXACIN AND CIPROFLOXACIN

Enrofloxacin is a synthetic antibiotic belonging to the fluoroquinolone class, and is used to

treat bacterial infections; it is used as a growth promoter in cattle. Reportedly, beekeepers
are now using it as well. Ciprofloxacin is a metabolite of enrofloxacin and is used in the
poultry farming industry.

HEALTH IMPACTS: Tests done on rats and rabbits suggest these antibiotics may be
terratogens and lethal for embryos. The US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for
Veterinary Medicine has proposed to withdraw approval for the use of fluoroquinolone
anitibiotics in poultry, based not on the drugs’ direct toxicity but on its potential for
increasing human pathogen resistance.

The methodology
The samples were analysed in triplicate (each sample was tested thrice and the results
given as average of three tests) using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
with Diode Array Detector (DAD) and Fluorescence Detector (FLD). Internationally accepted
published methods were used for analysis and validated by PML. The results were confirmed
by spiking.

The sample

The 12 honey samples were bought randomly by PML from various markets in Delhi in July
2009. Of these, 10 were Indian brands and two were imported brands. None of the
packages mentioned the source of the honey; it is, therefore, difficult to say whether the
honey was produced and packaged in India, or was imported and then packaged in India, or
is a mix of imported and domestic honey

THE DOMESTIC BRANDS INCLUDED:

 Dabur Honey of Dabur India Ltd, which holds over 75 per cent of the market share in the
branded segment.
 Himalaya Forest Honey of Himalaya Drug Company, which is one of India’s oldest Ayurveda
drug companies.
 Patanjali Pure Honey of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Haridwar.
 Baidyanath Wild Flower Honey of Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhavan Pvt Ltd (Kolkata), a
well known name which has about 10 per cent share in the branded honey market.
 Khadi Honey of Khadi Gramudyog Sewa Samiti, Bihar.
 Mehsons Honey of Mehsons India Ltd, a Bareilly-based company involved in the honey and
beeswax business; it also exports medicines and herbs.
 Gold Honey of Vardhman Food & Pharmaceuticals, Faridabad, Haryana.
 Umang Honey of Udyog Bhartiya, Delhi, a registered Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) society.
 Hitkari Honey of Hitkari Pharmacy, Delhi.
 Himflora Gold of Food Max, NOIDA.

THE TWO IMPORTED BRANDS WERE:

 Capilano Pure & Natural Honey of Capilano Honey Ltd, Australia. This company is the market
leader in Australia, exports honey to over 40 countries, and has large markets in Asia, North
America, Middle East and Europe.
 Nectaflor Natural Blossom Honey of Narimpex AG with its production site in Biel, Switzerland.
It is a well-known supplier of honey, dried fruits and nuts.

The results
 Multiple antibiotics in high amounts were found in 11 out of the 12 samples. All 11 samples failed
the antibiotics standards set by the Indian government’s Export Inspection Council (EIC) for
exported honey.
 The two imported honey samples were also highly contaminated with antibiotics. Both would have
failed their own domestic standards.
 The only sample in which no antibiotic residues were detected was Hitkari Honey of Hitkari
Pharmacy, Delhi. This is a small company involved in the seasonal honey business.
  The fact that more than one antibiotic was found in the samples indicates that the practice is to
collect honey from different sources and then blend them before packing and distributing for sale.
So one does not know from where the honey has been sourced.
 There is a need to regulate and monitor the level of antibiotics in honey being sold in the domestic
market, as continuous long-term exposure to low levels of antibiotics could in due course lead to
antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria, making their treatment difficult.

Antibiotics present
 OXYTETRACYCLINE (OTC): In 50 per cent of the samples (6 out of 12). Ranging from 27.1-250.4
microgramme per kg (μg/kg), which is almost 3-25 times higher than the 10 μg/kg EIC standard.
 CHLORAMPHENICOL: In 25 per cent of the samples (3 out of 12). In the range of 3.6-4.4 μg/kg,
which is 12-15 times higher than the 0.3 μg/kg EIC standard.
 AMPICILLIN: In 67 per cent of the samples (8 out of 12). Concentrations of 10.1-614.2 μg/kg. No
standard for ampicillin in honey in any country as it is not supposed to be used in beekeeping.
Ampicillin, therefore, is an unauthorised and illegal substance in honey.
 ENROFLOXACIN: In 10 out of 12 samples (83 per cent). Ranging between 10.9-144.8 μg/kg. No
standard. Illegally present.
 CIPROFLOXACIN: Found only in Baidyanath Wild Flower Honey. Level 19.9 μg/kg. No standard.
Illegally present.
 ERYTHROMYCIN: In 5 out of 12 samples (42 per cent). In the range of 69.7-280.3 μg/kg. No
standard. Illegally present.

Brand-wise performance
 DABUR HONEY: Had three of the six antibiotics tested. 91.3 μg/kg of OTC, which is nine times the
EIC standard. 26.6 μg/kg of ampicillin and 88.7 μg/kg of enrofloxacin. Sample non-compliant with
EIC standards. Would be rejected if placed for exports.
 HIMALAYA FOREST HONEY: Three antibiotics detected. 23.8 μg/kg of ampicillin, 63.8 μg/kg of
enrofloxacin and 69.7 μg/kg of erythromycin.Sample non-compliant, as there are no standards.
 MEHSONS PURE HONEY: Had two antibiotics. 58.3 μg/kg of enrofloxacin residues. 85 μg/kg of
erythromycin. Sample non-compliant.
 HIMFLORA GOLD HONEY: Two antibiotics detected. 35.5 μg/kg of ampicillin and 37.7 μg/kg of
enrofloxacin.
 PATANJALI PURE HONEY: Contaminated with four antibiotics. OTC at a level of 27.2 μg/kg,
almost three times the EIC standard. Also had 30.5 μg/kg of ampicillin, 75.17 μg/kg of enrofloxacin
and 186 μg/kg of erythromycin.
 BAIDYANATH WILD FLOWER HONEY: Two antibiotics detected. Ciprofloxacin in a concentration
of 19.9 μg/kg and ampicillin at a level of 25.2 μg/kg. Sample non-compliant, as there are no
standards.
 KHADI HONEY: Had three antibiotics. Highest level of OTC. 250.4 μg/kg, which is 25 times the EIC
standard. Also had 10.1 μg/kg of ampicillin and 10.9 μg/kg of enrofloxacin.
 GOLD HONEY: Four antibiotics detected. 57.7 μg/kg of OTC, almost six times the EIC
standard. Chloramphenicol at the highest level of 4.4 μg/kg (15 times higher than the EIC
standard). Enrofloxacin and erythromycin found at levels of 34.3 μg/kg and 231.3 μg/kg,
respectively.
 HITKARI HONEY: No antibiotics detected.
 UMANG HONEY: Two antibiotics found. 208.1 μg/kg of ampicillin and 122.1 μg/kg of
enrofloxacin. Sample noncompliant with EIC standards.
 CAPILANO PURE & NATURAL HONEY: Three antibiotics detected. OTC at a level of 150.8 μg/kg -
15 times the EIC standard, but within the Australian standard of 300 μg/kg. 3.6 μg/kg of
chloramphenicol (12 times over the EIC standard). Interestingly, chloramphenicol is banned for food
production in Australia. Enrofloxacin at a level of 144.8 μg/kg. Sample non-compliant with EIC
export standards as well as Australian standards.
 NECTAFLOR NATURAL BLOSSOM HONEY: Of the six antibiotics tested, the highest number—five
—detected. 112.0 μg/kg of OTC, 11 times the EIC standard. Chloramphenicol, banned by the EU,
detected at a level of 3.6 μg/kg, which is 12 times over the EIC standard. Highest levels of
ampicillin and erythromycin at concentrations of 614.2 μg/kg and 280.3 μg/kg,
 respectively. Enrofloxacin too at a level of 56.1 μg/kg. Sample non-compliant with the EIC as well
as EU regulations.