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Yes. A 2017 worldwide study found at least one of five tested neonicotinoids in 75% of 198 honey samples. That finding shows that bees encountered these pesticides through food; it does not, by itself, show that the honey was unsafe for people to eat.
What did the worldwide honey survey find?
Mitchell and colleagues reported their findings in Science on October 6, 2017. They analyzed 198 honey samples collected across the world and tested for five neonicotinoids: acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam. At least one of the five was detected in 75% of samples. The authors said their results confirmed that bees were exposed to neonicotinoids in their food throughout the world. Read the study record on PubMed.
Multiple compounds appeared in some samples: 45% contained two or more of the tested pesticides, and 10% contained four or five. Among samples with a positive result, the average concentration was 1.8 ± 0.56 nanograms per gram. These figures describe that study’s samples, not the share of honey currently sold in every country.
Which pesticides were tested?
The survey tested acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam. Its percentages refer only to these five compounds; they are not a count of every pesticide that might occur in honey.
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Does finding neonicotinoids mean honey is unsafe to eat?
No such conclusion follows from detection alone. The study reported that measured concentrations were below the European Union maximum residue levels (MRLs) authorized for human consumption at the time. That is the authors’ historical comparison with EU limits, not a statement about current limits or rules in every jurisdiction.
An MRL is a regulatory limit used for food residues. A detected residue is not automatically an MRL exceedance, and neither detection nor an MRL comparison alone establishes the health effect of eating a particular product. The global survey’s abstract does not establish a human-health conclusion about dietary exposure.
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Are residues in honey a concern for bees?
Residue detection in honey matters for a different reason: honey is made from material bees collect, so residues support the conclusion that bees encounter these compounds through food. That evidence of exposure is distinct from a risk assessment of effects on bees.
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How do other honey monitoring results compare?
Different monitoring efforts have different scopes, so their numbers should not be treated as direct comparisons.
| Evidence | Scope and date | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide neonicotinoid survey | 198 honey samples; published 2017 | At least one of five tested neonicotinoids in 75% of samples. |
| EFSA EU residue monitoring | 659 honey and other apicultural product samples; 2017 monitoring data reported in 2019 | 464 samples (70.4%) had no quantifiable pesticide residues; 183 (27.8%) had quantifiable residues at or below applicable MRLs; 12 (1.8%) had at least one residue above an MRL. These are findings for pesticides generally, not neonicotinoids alone. |
| French product analysis | Ten honeys, including three organic samples, and two spreads; released July 2026 | One Moldovan-Bulgarian blended honey had 5,371 ng/kg across six neonicotinoids; one French organic honey had 7 ng/kg. These are results for the products tested, not market-wide prevalence estimates. |
In the EFSA monitoring data, the number of pesticides tested in honey varied by reporting country. The dataset is EU surveillance of pesticides generally, not a global neonicotinoid survey. See EFSA’s report on 2017 EU pesticide residue monitoring.
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The French analysis was released by Agir pour l’environnement in partnership with the beekeeping organization UNAF. Its small set of selected products cannot establish that imported honey in general has higher residues, that organic honey is residue-free, or how common residues are across French or global markets. Read the organization’s release.
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What can you conclude from these studies?
- The 2017 global survey found one or more of five tested neonicotinoids in 75% of its 198 samples.
- That result is evidence of bee exposure through food, not a finding that every honey product contains neonicotinoids or that detected honey is unsafe to eat.
- Bee-risk assessments, human dietary safety, residue detection, and MRL exceedances are separate questions answered by different kinds of evidence.
- Later monitoring and selected-product testing add context, but their dates, sample sets, regions, and pesticide scope matter when interpreting their results.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
