A New Zealand company wants to sell honey in Britain that contains the venom of beesBy Harry Wallop, Telegraph (UK), 7/3/2009
Nelson Honey has applied to the Food Standards Agency for permission to market the unusual product in Britain, claiming bee venom honey alleviates the symptoms of arthritis.
It has been sold in New Zealand for the last decade, with more than 13 million pots sold. The company admits there have been "extremely low" reported incidences of adverse reactions to honey with bee venom added.
The FSA has to approve the marketing of any "novel food" to check it is safe. The regulator said: "Before any new food product can be introduced on the European market it must be rigorously assessed for safety. In the UK, the assessment of novel foods is carried out by an independent committee of scientists appointed by the Food Standards Agency."
Nelson's most popular bee venom honey is called Nectar Ease, which sells for New Zealand dollars 21.95 (£8.95) for a 500g pot.
The company claims, on its website: "Bee venom has been used via Bee-Sting Therapy for centuries in all cultures. The actual healing process is still a bit of a mystery but ongoing research has identified a number of naturally occurring chemical compounds which appear to work together in the body."…
Nelson Honey has applied to the Food Standards Agency for permission to market the unusual product in Britain, claiming bee venom honey alleviates the symptoms of arthritis.
It has been sold in New Zealand for the last decade, with more than 13 million pots sold. The company admits there have been "extremely low" reported incidences of adverse reactions to honey with bee venom added.
The FSA has to approve the marketing of any "novel food" to check it is safe. The regulator said: "Before any new food product can be introduced on the European market it must be rigorously assessed for safety. In the UK, the assessment of novel foods is carried out by an independent committee of scientists appointed by the Food Standards Agency."
Nelson's most popular bee venom honey is called Nectar Ease, which sells for New Zealand dollars 21.95 (£8.95) for a 500g pot.
The company claims, on its website: "Bee venom has been used via Bee-Sting Therapy for centuries in all cultures. The actual healing process is still a bit of a mystery but ongoing research has identified a number of naturally occurring chemical compounds which appear to work together in the body."…
This product is of dubious value since the bee venom is broken down by digestive enzymes in the stomach, and thus, rendered useless in much the same way insulin cannot be taken orally by diabetics for the same reason.
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