Allergies and precautions

Hive products are natural foods, and natural does not mean harmless for everyone. A perfectly healthy person can react to them, particularly to pollen, royal jelly and propolis.

1. Never give honey to children under 12 months. No exceptions, not even to sweeten a dummy.
2. Try a very small amount first of any new bee product.
3. If you have asthma, pollen allergy or dermatitis, take extra care with pollen, royal jelly and propolis.
4. If lips or throat swell, or breathing becomes difficult, seek urgent medical attention.

To reduce the risk of infant botulism, children under 12 months should not consume honey and/or herbal infusions.AESAN, Botulismo

Honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum. In an adult they are not a problem, because the gut flora prevents them germinating. In an infant’s immature gut they can germinate and produce the toxin responsible for infant botulism.

Domestic heat does not destroy the spores: cooking honey does not remove the risk.

Warning signs in an infant: constipation, weak cry, poor sucking, drooping eyelids, floppiness. These need immediate medical attention.

Honey contains traces of pollen from the plants visited. In people with hay fever, those traces can trigger symptoms, especially if the predominant pollen matches the one the person is sensitised to.

Reported reactions range from itching of the mouth and throat (oral allergy syndrome) to anaphylaxis. At least one paediatric case of anaphylaxis from artisanal honey is documented.

The mechanism described is cross-reactivity with pollens of the Compositae family present in the bee product: someone who already has IgE against those pollens can react on ingesting them.

If you have diagnosed hay fever, talk to your allergist before introducing monofloral honey, pollen or bee bread.

Bee pollen is concentrated pollen: it is the hive product with the greatest allergenic potential and the one with the most documented severe reactions, including anaphylaxis and allergic asthma.

The literature review collected thirteen published cases of anaphylaxis from bee pollen, with pollens of the Compositae family as the most frequently implicated allergen. There are also reported cases of exercise-induced or exercise-augmented anaphylaxis after ingestion.

Bee bread (pollen fermented in the cell) shares the same risk profile.

Royal jelly is documented as a cause of rhinitis, asthma and anaphylaxis. The risk is markedly higher in people with bronchial asthma, atopy or previous allergies.

Occupational asthma from inhaled royal jelly is also described, with cross-reactivity to bee venom.

Propolis is a known cause of allergic contact dermatitis. It is included in the European standard patch test series (the basic panel used to investigate contact dermatitis), which reflects its relevance as a sensitiser.

Increased risk if there is prior sensitisation to:

• Poplar resins: the sensitising agents in propolis come mainly from the buds of these trees.
• Balsam of Peru: it shares compounds with propolis, and some patients sensitive to one react to the other.
• Colophony and other hive products.

Ingestion (extracts, sprays) can produce systemic contact dermatitis, as well as irritation or lesions of the oral mucosa. Stop at the first sign.

Wax is the hive product with the lowest allergenic potential and is widely used in cosmetics. Reported reactions are uncommon.

Even so, wax can contain traces of propolis and pollen, so anyone who reacts to those should treat it with the same caution and test on the forearm before the first extensive use. The applicable references are those in the propolis section.

Allergy to the venom (to the sting) is a distinct condition from allergy to hive products. Being allergic to the sting does not automatically mean reacting to honey, and vice versa.

That said, cross-reactivity between royal jelly and bee venom is described, so anyone with diagnosed venom allergy should discuss introducing royal jelly with their allergist before doing so on their own.

Mild reaction: itching of the mouth, lips or throat; rash or hives; digestive discomfort; nasal congestion. Stop consuming it and consult your doctor. Do not try the product again on your own.

Anaphylaxis usually presents with skin symptoms (urticaria and angioedema) together with respiratory, cardiovascular or digestive involvement.

1. Start with a minimal amount: the tip of a teaspoon of honey, one or two grains of pollen, one drop of extract.
2. Do it during the day and with someone else present, never just before sleeping.
3. Wait 24 hours before repeating or increasing.
4. Introduce only one new product at a time: if you react, you will know which one.
5. Avoid intense exercise in the hours after the first intakes of pollen: there are reported cases of exercise-augmented anaphylaxis.
6. For topical use, test first on the inner forearm and wait 24 to 48 hours.

Every product states its full composition on the label and on its product page. Mandatory allergen information is governed by Regulation (EU) 1169/2011; the composition and naming of honey by Directive 2001/110/EC and the Codex Alimentarius.

If you need the exact pollen profile of a batch (for example to avoid a flowering you are allergic to), write to us with the jar code at hola@melisa.bio and we will give you its analysis.

• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct light, with the jar tightly closed.
• Always use a clean, dry spoon: water and crumbs encourage fermentation.
• Crystallisation is normal in a raw honey and does not indicate spoilage. To reverse it, use a warm water bath below 40 °C; never a microwave or boiling water.
• Pollen and royal jelly need refrigeration once opened.
• Respect the best before date on the packaging.

Excessive heating degrades honey and raises its HMF, an indicator set out in the composition criteria of Directive 2001/110/EC.

This page brings together general information from institutional sources and published scientific literature, and does not replace consulting a health professional. No properties of preventing, treating or curing disease are attributed to the products, in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1924/2006.

The clinical cases cited describe reactions in specific individuals and do not allow an estimate of how often they occur in the general population. They are cited to document that the risk exists, not to quantify it.

If you spot any error or inaccuracy, write to us at hola@melisa.bio: we will correct it.

Bodies and scientific societies where you can find more information. Unlike the references in each section, these are general links:

• AESAN (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition)
• EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
• AEMPS (Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices)
• SEAIC (Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology)
• AEPNAA, Spanish Association of People Allergic to Foods and Latex
• British Society for Cutaneous Allergy
• WHO · CDC · NHS