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Toxic honey – Notice for Beekeepers

Extract from: Animal Products (Specifications for Products Intended for Human Consumption) Notice 2004, Clause 108

25 March 2008

Part 12 of the Notice applies to risk management programme operators who are processing animal material or animal products intended for human consumption, and such operators must comply with the provisions of it. Clause 108 is included within Part 12.

Honey and other bee products

108. Apiarist, beekeeper or processor requirements

1. An apiarist or beekeeper must ensure that:

a. honey and other bee products are not harvested from beehives in areas where it is likely that the resulting product will be contaminated with harmful levels of phytotoxins of the native plant tutu (Coriaria arborea):

b. only approved veterinary medicines or agricultural compounds are used in beehives in accordance with any label or approval conditions:

c. beehives are constructed of, and maintained with, materials that are not a source of hazard to the honey or other bee products:

d. honey supers, both before and after extraction, and honey containers, including drums, are stored in a manner that will minimise contamination:

e. honey supers are protected from contamination during transportation to minimize exposure to dust, fumes and other contaminants.

2. If the apiarist or beekeeper has reason to believe that the honey or other bee products would exceed any MRL or MPL, that person must not present the animal material for processing.

3. An apiarist or beekeeper must complete and sign a statement as set out in the form approved by the Director-General for each lot of honey or other bee products and keep a copy of every statement for a minimum of 4 years, except where subclause (6) applies.

4. An apiarist or beekeeper must provide a copy of the statement to the secondary processor with each consignment of honey or other bee products before processing by the secondary processor commences.

5. If the apiarist or beekeeper cannot ensure that the honey or other bee products have been harvested in accordance with the requirements of subclause (1) regarding plant toxins, agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines, the affected honey or other bee products must not be processed for human consumption or traded, unless the apiarist or beekeeper or processor has obtained prior written approval from the Director-General. The Director-General may impose conditions on the approval, and the apiarist, beekeeper or processor must comply with those conditions.

6. Where an apiarist or beekeeper processes honey or other bee products themselves for trade, then the apiarist or beekeeper may keep records containing the information required by the statement instead of the statement, in accordance with the requirements of clause 34(2) and (3).

7. (Clause revoked).

8. Where a statement is received by a secondary processor which indicates that the honey or other bee product may not be suitable for consumption without further processing, this information must be provided to subsequent processors unless the material is processed by that processor such that it is no longer a risk to human health.