Not so sweet

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning Canadians not to consume various brands of imported honey as they may pose a human health risk (For a list of products to avoid, visit the Health Canada website at hc-sc.gc.ca.)

These products may contain nitrofurans, antimicrobial drugs that are banned for use in Canada in food-producing animals, including honeybees. The possibility of a human health risk is related to the inherent toxicity of the drug and the potential to cause allergies. To date, there have been no reported illnesses.

CFIA is working with manufacturers to pull these items off store shelves. If you have already consumed some of the product, Health Canada advises no further action need be taken as the health risk is low. Any remaining honey should not be eaten but returned to the store or disposed of.