Honey-Can Bees Pollinate Peanut Plants??

Hi,

There was a thread awhile back concerning Legume Pollen. I don't recall if honey was mentioned specifically but you may want to check it out:

[url="http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/Forum1/HTML/001736.html"]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/Forum1/HTML/001736.html[/url]

Is your son allergic to bee-stings? I read somewhere about five years ago that persons allergic to bee-stings shouldn't eat honey.

I have posted here before wondering if anyone else has seen information about this.

Hi

I guess it depends on the honey you buy. The most popular brand in Canada is beemaid, and they only use Canadian honey. Since the bees are raised domestically and controlled they don't really fly around and pollinated other plants. I would say the chances of a Canadian bee pollinating a peanut plant would be nil. Most honey not from beemaid is also produced locally, but it might be interesting to check where your honey is produced.

I did submit your question to the beemaid website, though, and it will be interesting to see what they say. I asked if they know whether any allergens are passed through to honey (I am allergic to most grasses so I am interested in this!)

take care

deb

My son is not allergic to bee stings. I would hope to think that my honey would not be contaminated because a bee decided to pollinate on a peanut plant. It is the honey BillyBee or whatever that common brand in Canada is. I can't see how they control what bees enters a colony. I have seen documenteries where they are finding killer bees enter bee colonies and migrating from far distances. What would stop any bee from mixing with colonies designated for honey production. I am sure this topic is far fetched and highly unlikely BUT it does make for interesting discussion.......

My son william has had a reaction to honey, and I put it down to his tree pollen allergy. As he has grwon older, he can eat honey quite happily, but if any gets on his skin during a nice sunny tree pollen full day he gets a few hives.
Tree pollen allergy is very common and IMO is the more likely cause of your childs reaction.
sarah

I just got an answer from beemaid honey (this is a cooperative of honey producers - I didn't know that before - and the gentleman shows he is not extremely knowledgeable about allergies, but this is useful:

If there is concern for the pollen, then folk would be well advised to consume only BeeMaid liquid honey where most of the pollen is not present. Creamed honey contains more pollen than the BeeMaid liquid honey.

So honey could be problematic if you are allergic to pollen (of course, in Canada that will not be a peanut issue but certainly could be a problem if allergic to ragweed or trees!)

take care

deb

That's weird..I have a severe pollen allergy and have never reacted to honey.

When I've eaten honey I would get a "taste" in my mouth which is the same as my pa, but it doesn't progress any further (not like pa). I have avoided eating anything with honey in it but recently made Honey Joys (honey, sugar, corn flakes and butter) for dd. I tried them and had no taste but I would not eat any more than 1 at a time. I don't have an allergy to bees (but their sting aint sure hurts-ouch!)

Thanks Debo I will make sure that I only use the liquid honey. I figured it was far fetched topic but if it helps other allergy sufferers I was glad I brought up the topic.