I note the leader (February 24) about nurturing and protecting the Maltese honey industry from possible fake (sugary syrup) honey producers (foreign or local). Some genuine and excellent honey is certainly made in Malta.

Perhaps most of these columns’ readers are unaware that a honey made by Charles Camilleri of Malta’s Mġarr (predominantly from carob tree flowers) won first prize at a honey blind tasting competition held in Tuscany’s Montalcino last year.

Various health advantages are attributed to honey but one which seems credible is that daily consumption of a little local honey is a natural treatment and possible cure for hay fever.

The tiny quantities of pollen in local honey, which encounter the body’s immune system via the intestine, are said to slowly desensitise the hay fever sufferer, thus gaining relief without use of pharmaceutical drugs. Daily ingestion of small quantities of honey needs to be started at least some months before the hay fever season starts, and the honey needs to have been made by local bees from local flowers.