Final answer:
Infants under 1 year of age should not ingest honey due to the risk of botulism. Honey can contain Clostridium botulinum which can produce botulism neurotoxin harmful to infants. Proper food sterilization and canning methods have reduced foodborne botulism cases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Infants under 1 year of age should never ingest honey due to the risk of botulism toxin. The bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism, can be present in honey and when ingested by infants, their immature digestive systems may allow for the bacteria to grow and produce the botulism neurotoxin (BoNT). Due to the potential for soil and dust to contain these bacteria as well, cases of infant botulism cannot always be prevented, however, avoiding honey in infants less than 12 months old is an essential precaution.
Foodborne illnesses like botulism have been reduced thanks to better sterilization and canning procedures. In the past, botulism was more common with foods that were not properly sterilized, such as non-acidic canned foods, homemade pickles, and processed meats. Foodborne botulism now typically occurs when BoNT is produced in contaminated food and then ingested.