KEY POINTS:
At least nine containers of comb honey suspected of containing a potentially lethal toxin remain unaccounted for, the Food Safety Authority says.
But this only relates to Projen Apiaries comb honey from the Coromandel Peninsula released for sale in the past two weeks.
There are indications the investigation into the honey - produced by Whangamata hobby apiarist Kevin Prout, who withdrew it from sale on Saturday - may be extended further back because an earlier sufferer has come forward.
Food safety Authority emergency response director Trish Pearce confirmed today the authority was investigating the apiary and one option was a prosecution under the Food Act and the Animal Products Act although she said that would depend on the investigation.
She said the owner of Projen Apiaries was believed to be new to the industry and in his first season.
Ms Pearce said all people who sold honey on the local market had to ensure they managed the risk associated with the tutin toxin.
She said for the toxin to spread there had to be good populations of the tutu plant.
"When it is dry and there is a lot less food sources for bees around, the bees start eating honey dew produced by insects sucking on plants.
"These little vine hoppers which live on tutu, if their numbers increase a lot and there is a lot of them around, they are sucking on tutu and producing the honey dew which the bees then feed on."
She said when it was dry the bees looked for an alternative food source and there were a lot of tutu bushes around the Coromandel area.
Beekeepers were well generally aware of the issue.
She said the owner of the Projen Apiaries may not have "cottoned on" to the issue.
She said if the investigation found he had not met the requirements under either of the two Acts there may be grounds for a prosecution.
Health authorities have asked purchasers of the comb honey, sold in 300g plastic containers at three shops in Whangamata, to give it to them for testing, or wrap it securely in plastic and put it in the rubbish.
They have also warned people to check the safety of any comb honey produced on the Coromandel this summer before eating it, by contacting the supplier, through the vendor if necessary.
Laboratory testing of the Projen honey for the food authority is expected to begin tomorrow. Officials suspect the honey contains a high level of tutin toxin, which can be fatal and can cause vomiting, seizures and coma.
The toxin comes from the common native tutu bush via honeydew, secreted by vine hopper insects feeding on the plant, and gathered by bees. The Coromandel, eastern Bay of Plenty and Marlborough are high risk areas and this summer's drought has produced conditions of higher-than-usual risk.
Beekeepers are required to manage their hives to ensure any affected honey is fed only to bees and not released for human consumption.
Nine people have reported illness following consumption of the comb honey, typically including otherwise-unexplained seizures.
The latest was a 43-year-old draughtsman, Waikato District Health Board spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill said yesterday. He was violently ill, suffered seizures, was admitted to Palmerston North Hospital and underwent many tests, but the cause had remained unknown.
He is not permitted to drive for a year because the seizures might indicate epilepsy, Ms Gill said, but the man hoped the honey would be established as the cause so this could be reversed.
"The fact that this case is from February is a concern. We thought we were just dealing with comb honey from the last week or two."
Food authority spokeswoman Trish Pearce indicated it was too early in the investigation to know if any charges would be laid, but she said any producer selling unsafe food was liable to prosecution.
Mr Prout did not return Herald calls yesterday, but a retailer has said he was unaware of the risk of tutu bushes.
He was reportedly registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, as required of all beekeepers, but this registration is unrelated to tutu, although all beekeepers producing honey are legally required, as a minimum, to keep records of how they manage the risk.
Honey production premises must be registered with the food authority for export or with local councils if only supplying the domestic market.
Commercial beekeepers say the risk from tutu is well known and is discussed in beekeeping books, on the food authority website and in the two voluntary beekeeper groups.
Coromandel beekeeper John Bassett urged regulatory changes to require each honey premises to print an official licence number on retail containers, to increase safety assurances to consumers.
- With NZPA
* WARNING
Projen Apiaries comb honey sold through Whangamata retailers Meat at the Beach, Valley Orchards or Quarry Orchards Fruit & Vege Mart should not be eaten. Take to the collection point at the Whangamata Medical Centre if convenient, or discard it.
The honey is branded, "A Taste of Whangamata Pure Honey".
If you have any other Coromandel comb honey produced in recent weeks, contact the producer for an assurance that it is safe to eat, otherwise discard it or take it to the medical centre.
When disposing of honey, wrap it securely in plastic, to prevent bees from recycling it into their hives.
People who have eaten Projen comb honey and experienced symptoms of tutin poisoning, which include vomiting, giddiness, increased excitability, coma and seizures, should see a doctor.
Sources: Food Safety Authority, Waikato District Health Board.
