Honey contains antibiotics

CSE or Center For Science and Environment has again done it. Their study conducted on major brands of Honey in India (Dabur, Baidyanath, Himalaya, Patanjali Products etc) showed that 11 out of 12 contain disturbingly high levels of antibiotics. Not only this, the imported brands (NectaFlor from Switzerland and Capilano Pure from Australia) also contain high levels of anti bacterial compounds which would be unacceptable in their country.

What really is startling is that we don’t have standards for checking the levels of antibiotics in the honey sold in India but have a strict code for checking it for domestic honey which is to be exported. Even foreign brands are taking advantage of this fact and selling honey with antibiotics which would have been rejected abroad.

Why does Honey have antibiotics?

From smaller farmers, honey producers are now large cartels who push for more production and higher profits. Honey producers use antibiotics to prevent diseases among honey bees. This antibiotics are then passed on their honey.  

What does ‘antibiotics’ in Honey affect us?

Exposure to antibiotics over a period of time creates many health problems. One of the antibiotics found in the studied brands honey is known to cause blood disorders and liver ailments. Also long term exposure creates antibiotics resistant bugs which creates large scale problems.

Read the findings here