The Seattle P.I. is running a series of articles on imported honey, the result of a 5 month investigation. Today they’ve got a bit on China’s use of the deadly antibiotic chloramphenicol and a main article on how honey from China is being smuggled into the U.S. through countries that don’t have enough bees to produce the amount of honey they’re exporting. There’s a heavy tariff on honey imported from China, plus the added scrutiny of antibiotic and pesticide use, leading honey “smugglers” to use a middleman country. Some of the honey has been found to contain chloramphenicol and some of it may have been adulterated with corn syrup or sugar water to stretch its value. It’s a good thing that parents are warned to not give honey to infants (on account of botulism). Consider buying local honey, or at least believe you can trust where the honey came from. On Wednesday the P.I. will cover “organic” honey.