>It would be a great mistake to write China off, as they
>are at the forefront of much scientific research, especially genetic
>research. We may have to play catch up with them.

Their food system stinks. Serious water pollution. Most of their beekeeping 
is as I described done in tents and honey extracted in unclean conditions. I 
have friends which tell me of the looks of some of the barrels shipped ( not 
required coatings)  and what the contents look like. Much different than 
what the honey looks like after maximum processing.

In private talks with some of the largest packers I find they worry about a 
serious contamination problem slipping through.  A couple even quit using 
China honey after the Chloramphenical issue. Very little testing for 
antibiotics or other problems is done. Cipro ( like chloranphenical) was 
found by accident by a lab simply looking for different contaminates. I 
suspect Chinese honey with chloramphenical might still be rolling in if a 
food person in the U.K. had not thought to test.

It is my opinion that when an antibiotic is found if farmed fish products 
from China its wise to look at imported honey as the government supplies the 
current drug of choice to its farmers I have been told.

bob 

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