Sting in UK market

Family-owned business Nelson Honey is seeking approval to market its bee venom honey in Britain, claiming the product alleviates the symptoms of arthritis. Britain’s Food Safety Authority has to approve the marketing of any “novel food” to check it is safe. More than 13 million pots of bee venom honey have been sold in New Zealand over the last decade. Nelson’s most popular bee venom honey is called Nectar Ease, which sells for $21.95 (£8.95) for a 500g pot. It contains a blend of honey derived from the native manuka and dried venom harvested from the Apis mellifera honeybee using electrical milking machines that send impulses to stimulate worker bees to sting through a latex film onto a glass collector plate.