Creating indomitable superbugs

Antibiotic resistance is the ability of a microorganism to withstand the effects of an antibiotic. If even at a large dose, the antibiotic is not effective in treating an infection, then the microorganism that is responsible for the infection is declared resistant to that antibiotic.

Bee farms to shops

The journey of honey from bee farms to breakfast tables has become complex with time. From wild honey gatherers, honey supply has passed into the hands of cooperatives of individual beekeepers and then to big companies.

Chinese honey route

Of late, honey is being associated with shady dealings, crime, and and a thriving illegal trade spanning the globe. One may wonder why honey, a natural product, is shipped illegally. The reasons become clear if one considers the stringent food safety regulations in Western countries and questionable beekeeping practices in the countries that produce and export the natural sweetener. The first whistle blower

Natural and pure?

The one kg jar of honey on Sangeeta Das’s kitchen shelf has many uses. Every morning she takes out a small quantity and puts it on the breakfast table. Her husband, Indranil, a media executive, likes a little bit of honey on his toast and the couple’s three-year-old son has spoonfuls. In the evenings, Sangeeta stirs a spoonful of honey into a glass of lukewarm water mixed with lemon juice and drinks it for weight control. She also uses honey in combination with basil (tulsi) and ginger juice as cough remedy. Sangeeta’s fondness for honey holds true for most Indians who regard it as a health food that can rejuvenate the elderly and boost immunity of infants.

The big players

Seven packers and exporters, registered with the Export Inspection Council, control the honey business in India. These big players are Little Bee Impex (the export unit of Kashmir Apiaries), Beez India Natural Products, Kejriwal Bee Care India Private Ltd, Shakti Impex, Pioneer Food and Agro Industries, Apis India Ltd, and Hi-tech Natural Products (India) Ltd.

What beekeepers use

“We use only Chinese strips. We do not know what it contains but it is the most effective,” says Lal Bahadur of Etah district of Uttar Pradesh when asked why he does not use formic and oxalic acid scientists recommend.

Bee colonies collapse

Honey bees are the most valuable pollinators of crops. In the US, the value of bees as pollinators is estimated at $15-$20 billion annually.

India’s honey regulators

The National Bee Board, under national horticulture mission, is mandated to promote best practices. All beekeepers ought to be registered with the board to ensure honey can be traced from the fork to the farm. Very few are registered. Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Agency (APEDA), under the ministry of commerce, provides financial assistance and subsidies to honey exporters. Between 2005 and 2008, the agency was monitoring and testing honey for exports.

The battle for control of our bodies

They say you are what you eat. But do we know what we are eating? Do we know who is cooking and serving us the food we take to our kitchens and then into our bodies?

Bhopal : A Toxic Legacy

The scale of toxins spread cannot be attributed to the gas leak alone. It betrays mismanagement of chemicals in India. About 32,000 chemicals are produced in the country; the composition of only 3,000 is known and the long-term effects of fewer on health and the environment. With the law providing no deterrence and an unaccountable corporate, a Bhopal is waiting to happen at the turn of every street Photographs by: Sayantan Bera