Milk and Egg Allergen Markers Found in a Few Polish Honey Samples
A study of multifloral honey from southern Poland found milk and egg allergen markers in a small number of samples. Gluten was not detected, and the measured levels were generally low, though one high-consumption scenario could not rule out a reaction in a highly sensitive person.
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What Happened?
Researchers examined multifloral honey from southern Poland for unexpected food-allergen proteins. They tested 27 samples collected from 26 apiaries in the Małopolska region during May and June 2025. [1]
Milk and egg allergen markers appeared in a small number of samples, while gluten was not detected with the study’s method. The researchers judged the measured levels generally low, although one result meant that a reaction in a highly sensitive person could not be completely ruled out under a high-consumption scenario. [1]
Why Should We Care?
Honey is not normally thought of as containing milk or egg. Detecting marker proteins in some samples raises useful questions about environmental contamination, beekeeping practices, handling, or processing—questions this study could not resolve. [1]
The findings do not show that honey is broadly dangerous. Instead, they suggest that unexpected proteins can occasionally be measurable and deserve further study, especially where consumers have severe food allergies. [1]
What Did the Researchers Find?
- The researchers analyzed 27 multifloral honey samples collected in 2025 from 26 apiaries in Poland’s Małopolska region. [1]
- Bos d 11, a cow’s-milk allergen marker, was detected in three samples, or 11.1% of those tested. [1]
- Bos d 5, another cow’s-milk allergen marker, was detected in two samples, or 7.4%. [1]
- Gal d 2, an egg allergen marker, was detected in one sample, or 3.7%. [1]
- Gluten was not detected in any sample using the applied analytical method. [1]
- Measured allergen levels were generally low, but one measurement led the authors to conclude that effects in a highly sensitive person could not be entirely excluded if about 200 grams of that honey were consumed. [1]
How Do We Know?
The team used commercial immunoenzymatic ELISA kits to detect and quantify the milk markers Bos d 5 and Bos d 11, the egg marker Gal d 2, and gluten. Pollen analysis was used to support the classification of the samples as multifloral honey. [1]
The researchers compared estimated exposure with ED01 reference doses—amounts associated with reactions in an estimated 1% of allergic individuals. Their assessment indicated a low probability of reaching clinically relevant thresholds under typical dietary conditions. [1]
What Doesn’t This Study Prove?
Not a survey of all honey The samples came from one region of Poland, one collection period, and multifloral honeys. The results cannot establish how common these proteins are in honey from other regions, seasons, floral sources, or production systems. [1]
No allergic reactions were tested This was a laboratory analysis of honey, not a clinical study involving people with allergies. Detecting a marker protein does not by itself prove that eating the honey would cause a reaction. [1]
No detection is method-dependent The finding that gluten was not detected means it was not found by the applied tests at their detection capability. It does not prove that every tested sample contained absolutely no gluten molecules. [1]
The protein sources remain uncertain The study did not establish how milk or egg proteins entered the honey. Environmental exposure, supplementary feeding, equipment, handling, or processing remain possibilities rather than demonstrated causes. [1]
The cautionary scenario rests on one result The potential concern for a highly sensitive person was based on a single relatively high measurement and an assumed consumption of approximately 200 grams. It should not be presented as evidence of a general risk from ordinary honey servings. [1]
Where Did This Research Come From?
Research Record
- Original Study: Evaluation of animal and gluten allergens in honey from southern Poland
- Authors: Jakub Ciesielski; Justyna Dobrowolska-Iwanek; Ewelina Prochownik; Dariusz Teper; Ewa Waś; Paweł Zagrodzki
- Journal: Food Control
- Publisher: Elsevier BV
- Publication: January 2027 issue assignment; exact first-online date not verified
- Honey Chronicles Timeline Date: Exact timeline date needs verification
- Journal Issue Date: 2027-01
- Volume: 191
- Pages / Article: 112460
- Research Location / Affiliations: Honey samples were collected from 26 apiaries in Małopolska Voivodeship, southern Poland.
- DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.112460