Is honey dangerous? How to choose safe honey

Honey is delicious, sweet, and packed with nutrients, but have you ever heard that it can be dangerous to eat?

Although honey is a safe food, it can pose serious risks to infants.

In this article, we will share some points to keep in mind when feeding honey to children, as well as what adults should know to enjoy honey safely.

Please read this article to ensure you can enjoy honey safely at home.

Why you shouldn't give honey to babies

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's website states that "honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age."

This is because when infants eat honey, they can develop a disease called "infant botulism," which can be fatal in rare cases. Infant botulism is a disease in which Clostridium botulinum grows in the infant's intestines and releases toxins, causing symptoms such as constipation and decreased ability to suckle.

In Japan, there have been 42 reported cases of infant botulism over the 34 years from 1986 to 2020.

In the first place, Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that exists in soil, and in the case of honey, the nectar collected by honey bee can sometimes contain Clostridium botulinum from the soil.

Therefore, when you eat honey, botulism bacteria can enter your intestines.

In the adult intestine, the growth of C. botulinum is suppressed by other intestinal bacteria.

However, in the case of infants, the intestinal environment is not well developed, allowing the botulinum bacteria to multiply and affect the body.

Reference source:Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: "Honey should only be given to children over the age of one."

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Health and Medical Care: "Protect your baby from honey-related infant botulism!"

What to do if your baby eats honey

If your baby does eat honey or something containing honey, observe them for a while and if their behavior is different from usual, take them to your doctor.

The symptoms of infant botulism include:

▼Examples of infant botulism symptoms

• ・Can't sit up straight


• Drooping eyelids


• ・Lack of energy ・Quiet crying


• ・Tend to become constipated


• -Do not breastfeed or drink milk

Not all honey is contaminated with botulinum bacteria, so there are cases where it is safe to eat honey. Also, the incubation period of botulinum bacteria is relatively long, about 3 to 30 days, so the above symptoms do not appear immediately after eating honey.

For these two reasons, you should observe your child for around 30 days after feeding them honey to assess their condition.

Points to consider when giving honey to children over one year old for the first time.

If your child is over one year old, their intestinal environment is healthy and they have resistance to botulism, so it is said that there is no danger in them eating honey.

However, you may also be worried, wondering, "Is it really safe to feed my baby something that was dangerous up until he was 11 months old?"

Below, we will share three points to keep in mind when giving honey to your child for the first time, so that they can enjoy it safely.

Tip 1: Start with a small amount

First, try giving your pet a small amount of honey. We recommend that you start by giving your pet a lick of honey itself, or giving your pet a little bread or sweets with honey in it, and see how it reacts.

Honey is a highly nutritious food, so eating a lot of it at once can cause stomach aches, diarrhea, and other discomfort.

This will be your child's first time eating this food, so help them get used to it little by little.

Tip 2: Give it to your pet when it is feeling well

If you are going to feed your child honey, it is important to choose a time when they are in good health and energetic.

When you are not feeling well, your immune system is often weakened, so if you suddenly eat honey that you are not used to, it can cause food poisoning or allergies.

Since this is your child's first introduction to honey, make sure they enjoy it while they are healthy.

Point 3: Give it during the hospital's off-peak hours

Even if your child is healthy, it is best to give honey during the day on weekdays when the pediatrician is open. Although the risk of infant botulism is low, there is a possibility that the honey may cause allergies or other problems due to the child's constitution not being compatible with the honey.

This is true not only for honey, but for any food you feed your baby for the first time.

To be on the safe side, you should choose a time when the pediatric clinic is less crowded so that you can be examined immediately if something happens.

Safety of Made in Japan honey

Even as adults, some people may still be concerned about the safety of honey.

The honey sold in Japan includes both Made in Japan produced honey and Made in Japan produced overseas, including in New Zealand, France, and Romania.

As a general rule when it comes to food, some people may be concerned about whether honey from Made in Japan is safe.

The answer to that question is that even if the honey is Made in Japan, it is generally not dangerous as long as the product has sufficient quality control.

It is true that in the past, there have been cases where honey Made in Japan was found to contain antibiotics.

But of course, not all Made in Japan honey is dangerous.

Many companies have strict safety standards when dealing with Made in Japan honey. If the product is handled by a company with strict quality control, you should be able to enjoy Made in Japan honey safely.

At SUGI BEE GARDEN, the president and beekeeping team visit the beekeeping farm and factory to check the conditions, and only products that meet a certain level of quality are manufactured.

For example, SUGI BEE GARDEN's monofloral manuka honey is sourced from manuka trees that grow in areas where no pesticides are applied. In 2020, there were reports of glyphosate, a herbicide component, being detected above the standard levels in foreign manuka honey, but there are no issues with our Made in Japan products.

Reference article:SUGI BEE GARDEN 's honey is only delivered to you after glyphosate testing and is found to be below the standard level.

The detection results of glyphosate are below the standard values set by the New Zealand government and Japan, so you can enjoy it with peace of mind.

How to Choose Safe Honey

Finally, to help you enjoy Made in Japan honey with greater peace of mind, we'd like to introduce two points to keep in mind when selecting honey.

 

Point 1: Choose by country of origin

Some countries have strict standards for the production and sale of honey, so it is possible to judge the safety of honey to some extent based on its country of origin.

Some EU member states, such as Romania, Germany, Hungary, and New Zealand, are particularly known for the high quality of their honey.

In Romania and Germany, the 'Honey Purity Law' sets strict standards regarding the heating conditions and enzyme content of honey.

In Hungary, domestically produced acacia honey is recognized by the government as a "national specialty," and acacia trees are protected and managed by the government.

This shows that the honey from each country is of high quality.

In addition, New Zealand, known as the country of origin of Manuka honey, has various restrictions on honey to protect the domestic beekeeping industry. For example, the bringing in or importing of honey from other countries is not permitted. Even if honey is from Made in New Zealand, it is prohibited to bring it back once it has been taken out of the country.

In addition, quality standards for Manuka honey were established by the Ministry for Primary Industries in 2018.

This makes it possible to distinguish between "monofloral manuka honey", which is made only from the nectar of manuka flowers, and "multifloral manuka honey", which is a blend of manuka flowers and the nectar of other flowers.

In this way, efforts are being made around the world to maintain and manage the quality of honey.

If you choose honey from a country with strict regulations or a country known for producing high-quality honey, it can generally be said to be safe.

Point 2: Check whether the business is certified

All businesses that handle food in Japan are required to comply with an international food hygiene management method known as HACCP.

Similar obligations are imposed when handling imported foods, so it can be said that a certain level of safety is guaranteed for Made in Japan honey sold in Japan.

Furthermore, you can feel even more secure if the honey is sold by a business that has obtained certification to standards such as ISO22000 or FSSC22000.

ISO22000 and FSSC22000 are international standards for food safety management systems.

Both are based on HACCP, with ISO22000 incorporating the idea of safety management into HACCP. FSSC22000 adds even stricter items to ISO22000, so it can be said that ISO22000 is stronger than HACCP, and FSSC22000 is stronger than ISO22000.

Certification for either standard is not mandatory, but businesses that have obtained certification are better able to guarantee safety.

Therefore, if you are concerned about the safety of your honey, it is best to choose a product sold by a company that is ISO22000 or FSSC22000 certified.

SUGI BEE GARDEN 's factory obtained FSSC22000 certification in June 2023, and is committed to thorough safety in the production of honey, pickled Pickled Honey, and Fruit Juice Infused Honey.

Related articles:What types of honey are there? Introducing their characteristics and how to choose

Avoid any possible dangers and enjoy a safe and secure honey life

This time, we have explained in detail the cases in which honey is generally considered "dangerous". Giving honey to infants is very dangerous, so be sure to avoid it. After your child turns one year old, try giving them honey little by little to ensure a safe and enjoyable honey-based life.

In addition, when it comes to Made in Japan honey, if you carefully check the safety standards of the country of origin and the handling company, the risk is very low and you can enjoy it safely.

If you are looking for safe and delicious honey,Honey specialty store | SUGI BEE GARDEN online storePlease feel free to use our service. We handle high-quality honey, both Made in Japan and Made in Japan.