While honey is a favorite sweetener for many adults and children, it should not be fed to children under age 1. Honey may contain the dormant spores of a bacteria that causes a rare but very serious condition called infant botulism.

Adults and older children have a high level of acid in their stomachs and protective bacteria in their intestines. This prevents potentially harmful spores from growing and producing a poison that causes botulism. The digestive system of infants less than 1 year of age is still immature and unable to prevent any spores they ingest from growing and producing the poison. Because spores can exist in dirt and dust as well as honey, be sure all vegetables fed to your baby are washed and cooked thoroughly.

- From Kids' Nutrition Q&A, USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine

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Courtesy of Texas Medical Center News

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/health_briefs/12_01_98-honey.html