Excerpt:
Although many nectar-bearing plants with toxic constituents are known, the incidence of human poisoning by honey is extremely low. Honeybees forage widely around their colony, and no doubt occasionally encounter sources of toxic nectar, but the predominating major nectar sources compete for their attention and provide great dilution of any toxic nectar collected. Additionally, some nectars are sufficiently toxic to bees to prevent their return to the hive. This brief review includes only honeys that are toxic to humans. With regard to the major known sources of toxic honey, rhododendron and other members of the Ericaceae, the beekeeper is aware of the problem and ensures that honey suspected of this contamination does not reach the market. In New Zealand the problem of occasional appearance of an especially toxic honey is met by monitoring honey from test hives in suspected areas, and prohibiting beekeeping when toxic honey might be produced.
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