THE STERILIZATION OF HONEY WITH COBALT-60 GAMMA-RADIATION - A STUDY OF HONEY SPIKED WITH SPORES OF CLOSTRIDIUM-BOTULINUM AND BACILLUS-SUBTILIS

Unprocessed honey is a recognized wound-healing remedy. However, to ma ke clinical use of honey acceptable, it should be sterile. To find the lowest dose of irradiation needed for sterilization, six batches of h oney (a-f) were gamma irradiated with 6, 12, 18, 22 and 25 kGy Cobalt- 60. After a dose of 25 kGy the antibacterial activity was not altered. Presumably glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4), which produces hydrogen pero xide, is not easily damaged by irradiation. Amylase activity on the ot her hand was significantly reduced to 19%,, 19%, 21%, 22%, 43% in batc hes a), b), c), d) and f) respectively, whereas no decrease was observ ed in batch c). All batches spiked with approximately 10(6) spores fro m Cl. botulinum or B. subtilis per 50 g honey proved to be sterile aft er irradiation with a dose of 25 kGy. Honey was also spiked with CI. b otulinum at up to 5000 spores per 50 g honey, which is the upper limit of natural contamination. The sterilizing dose in this case was 18 kG y.