Honey is not contaminated with excessive levels of chemical residue, says the head of the Canadian Honey Council, contrary to articles published recently in Canadian newspapers.
TheVancouver Sunreported last week that 40 percent of honey jars sold in Canada contain elevated levels of butyric acid, which is a chemical used to repel bees.
TheSunstory, which was picked up by media across the country, referred to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency report on levels of chemical residue in honey in 2009.
However, the story misinterpreted the CFIA’s findings by suggesting that the tests were done on honey from grocery stores, said Canadian Honey Council chief executive officer Heather Clay.
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“This is totally untrue. The CFIA did not test honey on the shelf. This is bulk honey that they looked at.”
She said the distinction between bulk honey and jars on the shelf is important because butyric acid has a short half life.
The amount of the chemical in the jar is diminished by the time the honey is on grocery store shelves.
As well, the CFIA’s minimum residue limit for chemical residue in honey is one part per million, which it admits is a low threshold.
Most importantly, Clay said, butyric acid doesn’t threaten honey quality or human health.
“They (CFIA) are looking at a chemical that occurs naturally in honey,” she said.
“It is not a health problem at all. Butyric acid is even in milk. Butyric is in chocolate. We have to be reasonable…. It’s a perfectly natural chemical.”
Beekeepers who want to push bees to the bottom of a hive so that they can remove the honey apply butyric acid to a board and place it on top of the hive, said Manitoba Agriculture apiculturist Rheal Lafreniere.
The chemical is sold in a liquid under the trade names Bee Go and Honey Robber.
Warm summer temperatures quickly turn the liquid repellent into a gas, which expands downward into the hive and forces bees to move below the honey boxes.
“It is probably the most efficient way of getting the bees out the box without harming your honey.”
Lafreniere said honey producers should be concerned about honey’s image as a natural and pure product.
“I think the industry is taking this seriously,” he said.
“They (producers) feel confident that they haven’t hurt their honey, but the perception may hurt (honey’s) reputation.”
The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists plans to hold its annual general meeting in Markham, Ont., Nov. 25 and Lafre- niere expects butyric acid to be discussed.
He said a possible outcome could be protocols for using repellents.
“What might come out of this is a standing operating procedure on how to minimize any risk of this volatile in honey.”
