from food standards agency website:

Chinese honey warning 2002
The Food Standards Agency is calling for all jars of
honey made or blended in China to be withdrawn from
sale after tests confirmed traces of a veterinary
antibiotic.

Concerns were first raised about lack of controls on
the use of veterinary drugs in China several weeks
ago. Now tests have shown that the antibiotic
chloramphenicol, which is used to treat both humans
and animals, was present in 10 out of 16 honey samples
purchased from high street stores and two Chinese
specialist shops.

In the European Union it is illegal to use
chloramphenicol on animals where they or their
products are destined for human consumption.

The agency says it is advising local authorities of
the test results and asking them to check the
withdrawal of Chinese and blended honey.

The levels of antibiotic found mean the honey only
poses an extremely small threat to people's health -
for example, two teaspoons of honey would contain less
than one millionth of the dose used to treat typhoid.
But it is illegal for honey to contain this drug.

The main known risk from chloramphenicol relates to
aplastic anaemia, a rare but serious blood disorder
that affects 50 to 100 people a year in the UK. It may
also be linked to cancer.

The agency says that, because the health risk is so
small, people can continue to eat Chinese honey they
have already bought. This advice also applies to foods
that contain Chinese honey, such as Greek yoghurt,
where the risk is even lower.

The Honey Association says it has advised all its
members to withdraw any blends containing Chinese
honey from retail shelves and recommended they seek
alternative sources of honey.

In a statement, the association said, "The Food
Standards Agency state, however, that their primary
concern is with the legality of the use of this
antibiotic. The levels found in tested honeys have
been so low that it does not constitute a major health
risk."

© Health Media Ltd 2002