TASMANIAN honey has been described as some of the cleanest in the world as producers hit back at allegations made in an Irish report published on Thursday.
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The report, published by several media outlets on Thursday, claimed Australian honey was "the most contaminated in the world" with natural poisons and toxins linked to chronic disease and cancer.
Published in Food Additives and Contaminants journal, the Irish report claimed Australian honey had the most concentrated levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids that were well above the safe standards for European regulation.
According to the report, all but five Australian honey brands had more contaminants than the European Food Safety Authority would consider safe or tolerate.
However the honey did meet "more relaxed" Australian and New Zealand safety standards.
The report said pregnant and breastfeeding women were particularly at risk, with unborn infants at higher risk of organ damage from the toxins.
The toxins are found in a plant called Paterson's Curse that creates pyrrolizidine alkaloids toxins.
Blue Hills Honey co-owner Nicola Charles said it was still safe to eat the state's honey.
"It's [Paterson's Curse] not in the regions in Tasmania that we source our honey from," she said.
"Leatherwood honey is free from PA [pyrrolizidine alkaloids]."
Mrs Charles said Tasmanian honey was some of the cleanest in the world and rigorous quality systems were in place.
Tasmanian Honey spokesperson Julian Wolfhagen said there were no such plants to his knowledge in Tasmania and he encouraged anyone who was concerned to eat as much Tasmanian honey as they liked.
"People should eat Tasmanian honey with abandon; there is no risk except good health," he said.
He said the Irish study had been based on an issue that was "old news" but said modern farming practices meant the plants that produced the toxins were not found in Tasmania at all and in minimal quantities on mainland Australia.
The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council said the report missed "key facts" about the industry.
"The Australian honey industry has been well aware of the issues of natural plant alkaloids (PAs) in honey from all over the world for many years," a spokesperson said.
"It has worked to remove the risk of identified plant toxins by managing out the supply of Paterson's Curse honey from the Australian honey supply chain."
