Guidance for harvesting flood-affected honey for human consumption

About this guidance

This guidance has been developed by New Zealand Food Safety based on international guidance, scientific evidence, and best practice.

The guidance applies to hives or honey that have been in contact with flood waters, not for hives or honey that have been damaged by rainfall. Hives and honey that have been damaged by heavy rain and have not come into contact with flood water will not be contaminated and are deemed safe and suitable for human consumption.

Information on this page is also available in a document.

Download guidance for harvesting flood-affected honey for human consumption [PDF, 162 KB]

Contamination in flood waters

During a flooding event, contamination in flood waters will be widespread. Flood waters may be contaminated by sewage, dead animals, decaying plants, and chemicals. They may also contain pathogenic microorganisms and physical debris such as glass, wood, and metal. Chemical contamination can come from many sources, including buried farm waste, submerged vehicles and mechanical equipment, stored pesticides and herbicides, and damaged manufacturing facilities.

Managing food safety risks of honey affected by flood water

Honey that was harvested and packed in sealed containers prior to the flooding is safe and suitable for human consumption. If containers have been submerged and the integrity of a container seal cannot be ascertained, then the honey from those containers is considered to be contaminated.

Honey from hives that did not come into direct contact with flood waters is also safe for human consumption. Honey harvested from hives that were immersed in flood waters cannot be sold for human consumption. This is because the range of contaminants that could have been present in the flood water is so broad that it is not feasible to use laboratory tests to check that the honey is safe.

However, if only shallow parts of the hives have been affected by flood water, and the honey and bees are unaffected, this honey would be deemed safe and suitable. Any hive boxes impacted by flood waters should be replaced as soon as practicable to ensure other risk factors, such as mould and other insects, do not spread to the rest of the hives.

Summary of the main points

• New Zealand Food Safety recommends a situational risk assessment to determine whether honey from flood-impacted areas can be processed and used for human consumption.
• Harvested honey that was packed prior to the flooding is considered safe for use provided that sealed containers retain their integrity, and exterior surfaces are cleaned.
• Honey that has come into direct contact with flood waters cannot be used for human consumption.
• Honey harvested from hives that were immersed in flood waters will not be able to be used for human consumption.
• Honey from hives that were near flood waters but not immersed is not a food safety risk.