Sticky moment

It's nice to know that the New Zealand authorities seem keen to ensure the authenticity of the medicinally-acclaimed UMFR manuka honey. The paperwork of an un-named supplier is under investigation by the Active Manuka Honey Association. They say there is no problem with the honey.

A spooonful of sugar helps the honey go down

Isn't it interesting how the vilest tasting honeys are being found to have medicinal properties. Here's the latest on buckwheat honey for children's coughs.

To allay any thoughts that I may be too sceptical, I suppose it's possible that it's because dark honeys are high in antioxidants that the strongest flavoured honeys are most potent.

Hornet in bonnet?

Lady Masson, a British peer of the realm, has set a hare -- or a hornet -- running by raising the issue of increasing number of hornets in the UK.

A relative of a friend of hers was unfortunate enough to have stood on one as he got out of the bath, was stung and died from anaphylactic shock. She wants more research -- into precisiely what I'm not sure. If it's into treatment and diagnosis of anaphylaxis generally, I'm all for it. If it's about the increase in hornets, I think there are more pressing issues.

Here's an audio interview from the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: go to the 8am slot, 20 minutes in.

As the insect expert said, it's unlikley that anyone else has been killed by a hornet in the UK for the past ten or 15 years.

Kiwi honey conquers kissing disease

The good ol' Daily Mail (for readers not familiar with the British press, there's a touch of irony in there) suggests that manuka honey might be useful in countering what it calls the kissing disease -- glandular fever.

Be aware that honey has just as much of an effect on blood sugar levels as sugar, although I would make an exception in the case of Manuka honey from New Zealand, which has been shown to have strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

Even taking the lowest strength of Manuka honey (basic factor ten or 15), a teaspoon twice a day, may help your granddaughter's immune system to get over the virus more effectively.

(The grandaughter in question had just succombed to glandular fever. I think the kisser should be named!)

Returning

Slow blogging from me lately as I have been caught up with other activities. But I have been amazed at the response to the bell jar bees. A German beekeeping magazine expects to be featuring the pictures, so I look forward to that.

I've had an interesting email from Manuel in Portugal who tells me that as an amateur beekeeper with 100 colonies, he is concerned with the attitude of his government to beekeeping. As a result he thinks beeekeeping is not financially sustainable in Portugal and that consumers tend to look at honey as a medicine rather than an important food.

MacPropolis

It's early days yet, but there may be a new role for propolis (the sticky substance, not the blog) as a food preserver. In experimental conditions, it's been found that propolis may inhibit the development of the dreaded e-coli. It could be used in ground beef.

Propolis lollies

Children's Lemon and Honey Lollipops made by Comvita are claimed to combine the soothing action of UMF 10+ active manuka honey and the power of propolis, to help with sore throats and colds.

Whisper it gently

I missed this one at New Year: no lesser an authority than the UK Royal Society of Chemistry has declared that a breakfast of toast and honey is an ideal hangover cure.

Honey, or -- don't even think about it -- golden syrup, provides the body with the essential sodium, potassium and fructose it needs after a good night out.

Where there's manuka, there's money

Comvita, the New Zealand bee products company, has done a NZ$4 million deal with Waikatio Univertsity for intellectual property and patent rights for manuka honey. Manuka's health-giving properties are being increasingly recognised.

Catch-up

Apologies for the recent lack of posts, but it is summer after all. There will be even fewer posts over the next three weeks -- ie none -- since I will be elsewhere. But normal posting will be resumed in early September. Meanwhile here's a quick roundup of news over the past few weeks:

New York Times (subscription needed) reports that

An unapproved type of genetically engineered grass has been found growing in the wild in what scientists say could be the first instance in the United States in which a biotechnology plant has established itself outside a farm.

Indian biologists claim that some males bees and wasps can be made to do some work like feeding larvae instead of just living for sex.

Why do queens, raised from any egg, live far longer than workers? An Australian researcher is on the case. And he wonders if the principles, when discovered, will apply to humans.

A piece about Slovakian beekeeping.

German medical researchers have announced that honey is more effective in healing problem wounds, ulcers and skin conditions than standard antibiotics.

The UK Bumblebee Conservation Trust have set up a £100,000 appeal to create a reserve on the west coast of the Uists (islands off the west coast of Scotland).

Bears reduced Bhutan's developing honey industry by destroying 60 colonies. Apparently, Apis mellifera was first introduced to Bhutan by a private beekeeper as late as 1987. The association has 28 beekeepers, 370 hives producing 8,400 to 10,300 kilos of honey annually.

One of me bees got inside my pants and wrought revenge (no links, no pix!).

Newest honey factory

The honey business seems to be booming downunder despite varroa. In North Island, New Zealand Steens Honey is building a $500,000 factory to service about 7000 Wairarapa hives and employ up to 20 people. At full capacity, they will be processing 250 tonnes of manuka honey annually for Comvita and other outlets.

Not just any old honey dressing

MRSA which is reported to be responsible for an estimated 5,000 hospital deaths in the UK each year and adds £1 billion to the NHS budget, is being targeted by manuka honey dressings in a programme that started this week. But there is a warning from a medic:

“It could be disastrous if people treated wounds with ordinary honey, because it has not been sterilised or standardised,” warns Dr Cooper. “Clostridia bacteria, present in some honeys, can cause gangrene.”

First time I've heard that one.