Honey has a reputation for health. So, to the honey fans, the revelation of antibiotic residues in this product, its health hazard however small, is of no less concern.
The Consumer Council has initiated a test on 34 samples of honey and found 6 (18%) of these samples to contain residues of the antibiotic chloramphenicol.
Chloramphenicol is associated with a rare, but potentially life threatening, bone marrow side effect called aplastic anemia. Its presence in food is prohibited under the law of Hong Kong.
In the test, the Council has found in some honey samples, in addition to chloramphenicol, residues of antibiotics of streptomycin, sulphonamides and quinolones. The results are as follows:
- 6 samples (18%) were detected with chloramphenicol ranging in level from 0.2 μg/kg to 6.4 μg/kg.
- 4 samples (12%) were found with streptomycin in quantities of 11 μg/kg to 22 μg/kg.
- 8 samples (24%) contained quinolones from 1.0 μg/kg to 114.0 μg/kg.
- 11 samples (32%) had sulphonamides from 2.5 μg/kg to 137 μg/kg.
- All samples were free (undetected) of residues of nitroflurans, tetracyclines or macrolides.
In total, 13 (38%) of the samples were detected with residues of these antibiotics.
Ten of them (29%) were detected with residues of more than one antibiotic. In the most extreme case, the sample was found to contain as many as 7 antibiotics (under different groups).
At the first instance, upon the completion of the test, the Consumer Council has drawn the attention of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and referred the test results for their expert risk assessment.
Simultaneously, the agents concerned were also notified and a few of them may have taken the initiative to voluntarily withdraw their products from sales.
In the interest of their own health, however insignificant the risk is, consumers are advised to take a balanced diet so as to avoid excessive exposure to contaminants from a small range of food items.
The level of residues of antibiotics other than chloramphenicol is acceptable according to the risk assessment of the Centre for Food Safety.
Based on the levels of antibiotics found in the honey samples in the test, normal consumption of the honey is very unlikely to pose any health risk.
The Consumer Council will publish the test report on honey in full in the next issue of CHOICE which will analyse and assess, in addition to antibiotic residues, the quality performance of the samples.
Suppliers, on the other hand, are urged to consider recalling their products detected with chloramphenicol and instituting refund to consumers.
Chairing the press conference today are: Dr. Thomas W.H. CHUNG, Assistant Director (Food Surveillance and Control) of Centre for Food Safety, and Prof. CHING Pak-chung, Vice-Chairman of Publicity and Community Relations Committee of the Consumer Council.