According to a recent press released by the Hong Kong Consumer Council on 15 Jul 2013, a number of the honey samples being tested were found to have sugar adulteration and contain various antibiotics residues.
The inspection conducted by the Consumer Council shows that, over one-quarter of the test sample (14 out of 55) were added with sugar syrup extract from various source including sweet corn, sugar cane, rice etc. Among the 14 problem samples, 12 printed in the package that they were natural or pure honey and 7 stated that they were 100% natural or pure.
Pollen analyses have also been carried out as the first attempt in Hong Kong to validate the geographical origin of the honey. It is striking to see 7 of the samples have discrepancy between the origin as analyzed and the origin as labelled.
The Consumer Council has reported the labelling issue to the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department for the concerned samples’ potential breach of the Trade Description Ordinance. According to Section 7 (1) of the Ordinance, those engaged in a false trade description of any goods commit an offence.
Various types of antibiotics residues were also detected in 6 of the total samples, however all were found at physiologically irrelevant/negligible levels. According to the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety, normal consumption of the honey products should cause no damage to human health. Improvement was seen since 2006 as the prohibited antibiotic, chloramphenicol, was not found in the current sample.
As there is no existing legislation concerning the antibiotics level in honey, the Consumer Council will perform stricter regulatory oversight over the related product, said the press release.
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