Chemical hazards in honey

While honey itself is essentially a pure natural product, it can become contaminated from the environment by naturally toxic nectars collected by the bees and by chemicals introduced as a result of hive management. The efforts taken by legislators and various agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority and the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed are described, together with the data arising from research and various surveys. The chapter shows the need to be aware of how traces of undesirable substances can arise in honey even though it is the natural material produced by bees for their own sustenance and that of their larvae.