Safety and Toxicological Risk Assessment of Northern Algerian Honeys

The chemical composition of honey greatly varies due to diverse factors. Among these, the floral and geographical origin affects not only its quality (i.e., nutritional compounds, including minerals) but also its safety (i.e., contaminants, including potentially toxic elements). Industrialized countries can assure high-quality and safe honey through stringent regulations (e.g., Codex Standard 12-1981 and EU Regulation 915/2023) and testing. However, developing countries still suffer from regulatory gaps and less advanced monitoring systems. The present study aims to (1) monitor inorganic elements in an array of Algerian honeys, (2) explore the variability of the element profile in relation to their botanical and geographical provenance, and (3) assess the potential toxicological risk to African and European humans from consuming them. The element profile of honey is affected by both its geographical origin and its floral source. Many honeys exceeded the maximum levels set by the Codex Alimentarius for Mg (97% of samples), Fe (42% of samples), Zn (36% of samples), Cu (17% of samples), and Cd (50% of samples) and by the EU Regulation for Pb (64% of the samples). However, due to the small daily consumption of honey, exposure levels to the regulated elements were below the reference values. Similarly, negligible non-carcinogenic health effects were highlighted for all honeys. Hopefully, this study will encourage the Algerian government to effectively support the beekeeping sector by strengthening monitoring programs and establishing an adequate regulatory framework for honey.