§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if(a) chloramphenicol and (b) streptomycin have been found in Chinese honey imported by the UK. [42495]
§ Yvette CooperI have been asked to reply.
Following regulatory action by the European Commission on products of animal origin from China, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) immediately began testing some products of animal origin already in the United Kingdom and as a result called for the withdrawal of jars of Chinese and blended honey on sale in the UK to ensure consumers are protected.
Both streptomycin and chloramphenicol (antibiotics) were found in samples of Chinese and blended honey. The FSA published the results of this analysis in two press releases: 'Tests on Chinese and blended honey show 659W traces of illegal residue of veterinary drug', which was issued on 6 February 2002, and 'Tests on Chinese and blended honey show further illegal drug residue' which was issued on 19 February 2002. Illegal residues of chloramphenicol were also found in samples of another bee product, royal jelly, at similar levels as those found in honey. The FSA again called for the withdrawal of Chinese and other royal jelly products which did not meet legal requirements. The main known risk from chloramphenicol relates to aplastic anaemia, a rare but serious blood disorder in susceptible individuals. The FSA, on the advice of expert toxicologists, has concluded that overall the levels of this antibiotic in honey pose an extremely small risk to public health. The streptomycin found was not considered to be of toxicological concern.
The FSA's advice to the consumer is that, given the extremely small risk, people can continue to eat any honey they have already bought, irrespective of country of origin. This advice also applies to other foods that contain honey, where the risk is even lower. Given the low risk, consumers were not advised against the consumption of royal jelly.
Full details have been published on the FSA website, www.food.gov.uk.