Honey was long used as a disinfectant in bagpipe bags in Scotland.
We have better stuff now, called "Airtight." Sort of a bagpipe Stopleak. Looks rather a bit like vomit, smells worse. *\;-)
Posted on 09/01/2010 5:32:29 PM PDT by Nachum
The Federal Government announced charges today against a ring of foreign corporations and executives who conspired to bring antibiotic-laden Chinese honey illegally into the US, in an attempt to avoid paying millions in fees. A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted top executives of German food conglomerate Alfred L Wolff GmbH, and several of its affiliated companies for allegedly importing more than $US40 million in Chinese honey, but saying it originated elsewhere in order to avoid paying duties of nearly $US80 million that were levied on Chinese honey.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.com.au ...
why would you pay $80 million in taxes on $40 million worth of honey?
Sweet!
They’re in a sticky situation.
It is about time. The Chinese have been doing this for several years. The Bush admin busted them for doing this and stopped the Chinese honey from coming in. The Chinese then turned around and sold the honey to Venezuela who shipped it to the US.
Honey consumers should buy honey from their local US honey producers and make sure the label says, “Raw and unfiltered”. Store bought honey has been heated which destroys all the minerals, vitamins and other “good stuff”.
If, as a reporter, you are going to use that highly charged description, you have an obligation to substantiate the charge.
and the defendants distributed adulterated honey that never should have reached the US marketplace,” said US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Patrick J Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald? These guys are home free.
For some reason I thought this was going to be a human trafficking story.
Don’t give that raw honey to an infant.
Yeah, I know. I’m a beekeeper. I keep hearing this old saw but have yet to ever hear of an infant dying from honey or botulism from honey. I suppose it happens but it surely isn’t common, which is a good thing.
BTW, I tried honey as a topical antibiotic several years ago to treat a persistent infection that the Dr's couldn't fix. That honey (in this case 'manuka honey' from NZ) really did the trick!
“illicit honey”
Is this like, illicit drugs. Does the DEA get in on this?
Hank
Yes, you surely may store raw honey...and should. Depending upon the type of honey it is, it stores very well and many (most, actually) varieties have a shelf life up to ten years. Again, depending upon the type/variety of honey, some honeys (wildflower)will crystallize. This isn’t a problem. Just put the jar into hot water and heat it but ensure the water temp does not go above 150 degrees for longer than eight minutes. You may have to do this a few times to completely de-crystallize it. You may also put it into sunlight and let the sun work its magic. Alaska or winter climates may be a little different in this respect.
Manuka honey does have a number of healthful benefits but then, so do American honeys. The New Zealanders have been quite effective in marketing their Manuka honey for its “medicinal” properties and it aggravates me that the American Honey Producers have fallen down on the marketing of US honeys. Studies (several of them) show that American honeys of several varieties also have “medicinal” properties and provide antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits. For example, honey used to be used to preserve skin for skin grafts for burn victims. It still can be used for this. It keeps out infections and also pulls fluids, bacteria, debris from wounds and cuts. Honey works great for wound treatment and flat out is miraculous for diabetic foot ulcers. I think you get my point. I do give lectures on the many health benefits of all of the products of the beehive.
Beyond doubt, honey should be on everyone’s list for current and future uses. I’m glad you were able to use honey to “cure” your infection. I’ve read of many similar instances of this. Some are stunning in their curative properties.
Honey was long used as a disinfectant in bagpipe bags in Scotland.
We have better stuff now, called "Airtight." Sort of a bagpipe Stopleak. Looks rather a bit like vomit, smells worse. *\;-)
Thanks for the very informative reply. The infection I cured with honey was on my leg, and resembled a cross between gangrene and ‘flesh eating bacteria’. Very scary stuff that persisted for many months before I treated it with honey.
“. Looks rather a bit like vomit, smells worse. *\;-)
“
The Scots must love it.
NOTE The following text is a quote:
http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1009/100901seattle.htm
September 1, 2010
Washington state importer pleads guilty to making false statements about Chinese honey imports
Plea precedes indictment of German and Chinese companies on similar charges
SEATTLE - A Bellevue, Wash., business man pleaded guilty last week to criminal charges for his role in a scheme uncovered by federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to import contaminated honey from China.
The admission of guilt by Chung Po Liu, 69, preceded the indictment Wednesday in the Northern District of Illinois where 11 individuals and six companies were charged with conspiring to import more than $40 million of Chinese honey to avoid paying anti-dumping duties of approximately $80 million. Liu was indicted in May 2009 in the Western District of Washington and has pleaded guilty to federal charges of entry of goods by means of false statements and introduction of adulterated food into interstate commerce.
Liu is a corporate officer and former president of Rainier Cascade, an import company registered with the U.S. government, as well as the president of Evergreen Produce, Inc., a business that sells and transports honey imported by Rainier Cascade. Over a three-year period starting in late 2005, Liu admitted to importing 22 shipments of honey from Changge Jixiang Bee Products Company Limited, a honey factory in Henan, China.
ICE HSI’s investigation revealed that Liu purchased honey from Changge Jixiang and had it shipped to the Philippines or Thailand. The honey was re-labeled there to make it appear it was a product from these countries.
When the honey arrived in the United States, Liu submitted documents to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, falsely claiming that the imported honey was produced in Thailand or the Philippines, when in fact the honey originated in China. In April 2008, federal authorities seized several of Liu’s honey shipments at three locations including the Port of Seattle, a Seattle warehouse and a honey processing plant in Sultan, Wash.
Subsequent tests by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined much of the honey was adulterated with the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. This antibiotic, often found in Chinese honey, is an unsafe additive and is banned from the U.S. food supply.
In his plea agreement, Liu admitted he avoided paying in excess of $2.9 million in anti-dumping duties over three years. The duty on Chinese honey was 183 percent in 2001 and was raised to 221 percent in 2007.
“As evidenced in the investigations in Seattle and Chicago, public safety remains a high priority for HSI. While Mr. Liu’s activities in this case are criminal, introducing tainted honey into our nation’s food supply needlessly jeopardizes the health and safety of the American public,” said Leigh Winchell, special agent in charge of ICE’s Office of HSI in Seattle. “I would like to thank U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan for her aggressive posture in assisting HSI and CBP in addressing this issue.”
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Liu must forfeit $400,000 to the U.S. government. Prosecutors will recommend a sentence of up to two years in prison when he is sentenced on November 29.
The indictment in the case in the Northern District of Illinois alleges that the German-based food conglomerate Alfred L. Wolff GmbH was among five other German and Chinese companies whose employees conspired to avoid paying more than $80 million in Chinese honey Customs duties. Liu is named, but not charged in this parallel investigation.
During the course of these investigations, federal authorities have seized more than 3,200 drums of honey in Seattle, Tacoma, Wash., Minneapolis and the Chicago area.
HSI was assisted in this investigation by the Port of Seattle Police Department, the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, CBP Office of Field Operations and the ICE attaché offices in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Manila.
— ICE —
“...and it aggravates me that the American Honey Producers have fallen down on the marketing of US honeys.”
Well - they sure did a good job on the 221% duties for the Chinese stuff. What is the story there?
I’ve no idea what you are referring to. Would you care to enlighten me?
I’m just wondering why such the high duties on honey from China but not other countries. Figured the U.S. honey business must have put up a fight to get those inacted for some reason. Sounded like you might be the one to ask.
We sure don’t have those high tariffs on all of the other crap the Chinese send over here.
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