Australia: Native bee honey is given the tick of approval

Image by Freepik By Dean Haley, Chair of ANBA Honey Committee, Brisbane The Australian Native Bee Association (ANBA) is very pleased that Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved our application to permit the sale and use of honey produced by Australian native stingless bees. FSANZ gazetted the new standard in Amendment No 229 to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code on 22 July 2024. FSANZ has performed a rigorous review of the data provided in the ANBA application, together with other relevant data. Their assessment found “no convincing evidence that consumption of native bee honey at the requested compositional requirements presents a health risk to the general population if beekeepers apply good hygienic practice during harvesting and processing.” Furthermore, FSANZ concluded that “risks to vulnerable populations are comparable to the risks from honeybee honey.” The ANBA is pleased that FSANZ has reached these conclusions, ending speculations regarding ...