It gives food a golden quality, and many people's tastebuds can't get enough of it. Honey is a natural substance, and depending on its source, varies in color from a light transparent gold to a darker, stronger-tasting honey. MSU dietetic intern Laura Mills offered tips for cooking with honey. Decrease the temperature by 25 degrees to prevent over-browning. Dietetic intern Brooke Gavin said honey is a natural and safe food for adults and older children, but it absolutely should not be given to babies.
Honey contains pollen and spores from the nectar bees collect to make honey.
Infant immune systems are not advanced enough to fight off possible botulism spores that honey may contain. The risk is only a concern in babies less than 1 year old. Doug Stone, an Oktibbeha County beekeeper and honey packer, said honey has a distinct taste. Stone said the honey Mississippi beekeepers produce is a unique specialty product that is often hard for consumers to find locally produced. He maintains hives in four Mississippi counties and offers honey labeled to indicate which types of nectar were collected by the bees that made the honey.