JARS of Chinese Honey sold in Ilkley have been taken off the shelves after a warning issued by environmental health officers.

Bradford council officers have asked that all retailers across the district withdraw honey from China, including blended varieties which contain Chinese honey.

Honey from China has been found to contain chloramphenicol, an antibiotic associated with aplastic anaemia that may be linked to cancer.

Environmental health manager Sandra Walbran said: "The main purpose of this food hazard warning is to get the message through to retailers to withdraw all Chinese honey from sale.

"This includes all blended honey, which should be assumed to have a Chinese component unless labelling clearly excludes this.

"At the levels found, the public are advised that there is a very small risk to public health and they can continue to use any honey they have bought.

"We are not advising against eating foods that contain honey as an ingredient, such as breakfast cereals, pastries and honey-glazed ham. Experts have advised us that the extremely small risk posed by honey is diluted still further in such products."

The manager of Holland and Barrett health food shop in Brook Street, Ilkley, Anna Steer, said that Chinese honey had been the biggest seller in the honey range at the shop.

She said that as soon as the warning had been received from the environmental health department, the product was withdrawn from sale.

Miss Steer said that as a company, Holland and Barrett had their honey independently tested and it was found to be clear of any risk.

"But it was decided to withdraw it from sale in order not to cause any confusion to the customer," said Miss Steer.

Environmental health officers have asked retailers to make arrangements with their suppliers to deal with the removal of honey from their shelves.