Why I Choose Imported Honey
Antibiotics in Foreign vs. Domestic Honey
We are living in the times of modern technology and progressive medicine. Today, we live longer than any of our ancestors because humanity has found ways to extend the life of human beings. We are grateful to the scientists who have made these technological advancements. However, humanity has not learned to appreciate the science. We believe that there will always be more scientific findings that will keep us young and healthy. But! Everything has its limit.
Here is some interesting research that I found while working on my business project.
Did you know almost all antibiotics available today were discovered in the mid-1900s? And the last class was discovered in 1987?
Today’s researchers are still working on new antibiotics; however, they are being developed as a last resort for us! Antibiotic resistant bacteria that survive treatment are becoming more and more common, making the available antibiotics ineffective.
Food Production
A large majority of food producers use antibiotics, “approximately 80% of total consumption of medically important antibiotics is in the animal sector”.
Antibiotics used on animals are mainly misused for unnecessary disease prevention and growth promotion.
In reality, “healthy animals should only receive antibiotics to prevent disease if the disease has been diagnosed in other animals in the same flock, herd, or fish population.” However, food producers nowadays are using it regardless of if the animal is sick or not.
Antibiotics used in animals that are not sick increases the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, and the risk of drug-resistant infections for people. Whether it's a healthy cow treated with antibiotics, or a vegetable that grew from manure soil from that same cow…
What does the food that you have on your plate contain besides itself? Is it pure?
Probably not.
And it's not good for you either. By consuming these animal and plant products, you are eating small portions of antibiotics that bacteria quietly living in your body will adapt to. By the year 2050, some researchers predict that antibiotic resistance will cause 10 million deaths every year, even surpassing cancer as the leading cause of mortality worldwide.
Honey
Don't forget that bees are animals that can get sick too! Beekeepers lose thousands of dollars if a bee colony gets sick and dies. The only way to stay in business is by treating their bees with antibiotics.
In large-scale U.S. agriculture, beekeepers typically apply antibiotics to their hives several times a year. They do this to prevent bacterial infections that can lead to widespread disease. However, it's not as simple as that. And it's not only the large beekeepers who use this practice.
Let's say you buy honey from a local beekeeper that you trust. The honey is great, his bees are healthy, and his family farm has never used antibiotics. But what about the crops that grow around the beehives? A bee can fly up to 5 miles away from the hive to collect pollen. This particular bee has the potential to collect nectar from agricultural lands that may be treated with antibiotics, as well as with pesticides and bactericides. The bee brings the infested honey home to store it in the cells. Then… you spread it on your pancakes.
Imported is Better
Most countries do not have any regulations on antibiotics that are locally produced and sold. If they do, the regulations are often full of loopholes that food producers can easily work around. The United States is not an exception. As of today, F.D.A policy allows domestic producers to overuse massive amounts of antibiotics.
In reality, the F.D.A. monitors the quality of imported foods more than domestic. When imported honey arrives to the U.S., it is supposed to be tested for antibiotic residues such as streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, fluoroquinolones, and more. A company that violates F.D.A. standards will be barred from entry into the U.S. The rules for importers are very strict, and only the highest quality product can make its way in. Meanwhile, if you are a local U.S. beekeeper, your honey goes straight from the hive to the grocery shelf, without any sort of testing whatsoever.
Ever since I’ve started my research on this topic, I believe that the F.D.A. does not protect the American consumer as it was initially designed to do. So, I had to learn how to protect my own health and guard the wellbeing of my family.
Before my husband I started our company, I only bought imported honey. When I went grocery shopping, I looked for “Made in …” printed on the honey label. If I didn’t see it, that meant the product was either fully or partially produced in the US, and possibly adulterated.
According to F.D.A labeling regulations, every single imported product MUST clearly state the country of origin.
Unfortunately, as a consumer, I was more comfortable with the regulations imposed on imported honey. When I saw the label stating the product was imported, I knew that it likely went through many tests to ensure quality.
Don't get me wrong, I support local producers and I wish them all the best! But I put the health of my family and I first. That’s why we decided to start our own company with the goal to provide pure and unadulterated honey to our family, friends, and all the American people.