Presence of antibiotics residues in human foods is an issue exercising the minds of food safety authorities world over because of fear of resistance by many pathogens to the action of antibiotics taken for combating many serious infectious diseases. Animal food industry is often found guilty of practicing indiscriminate administration of antibiotics to the animals to ensure safety of their products till they reach the consumers. But presence of antibiotics in honey, as reported recently in products originating from China has raised alarm signals as such practices are unheard of in the past.
"The Food and Drug Administration has just announced that it seized 64 drums of tainted honey from a Philadelphia distribution center last week. According to FDA sources, the honey was imported from China, and contained the potent anti-biotic "Chloramphenicol" which could lead to serious illness or death. Food safety specialists say that the anti-biotic was likely used to treat diseased hives – which is not legal in the US. According to the World Trade organization, China is the leading exporter of honey. Dr. Donald Schaffner is a food safety expert with Rutgers University. He says the general increase of Chinese food products sold in America poses some risk to consumers":
As China is a leading exporter of Honey in the world, such unethical practices will raise doubts about the bonafides of many other products exported by this country. The common concern being raised about the safety of Chinese food products probably could have prompted the FDA of USA to set up its safety monitoring offices in China last year. How far these safety out posts there will be able to get any insight into Chinese production and processing practices remains to be seen.
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