A homemade concoction of garlic fermented in honey, trending on TikTok for its supposed immune-boosting properties, carries a serious risk of causing botulism, according to health experts.
Influencers on the platform are promoting this mixture in numerous videos, claiming it acts as a natural antibiotic, antimicrobial treatment, and detoxifier. While both honey and garlic possess some antimicrobial qualities, the preparation methods described in these recipes can encourage the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for fatal botulism, which is present in both ingredients.
"Fermenting garlic in unpasteurized honey at room temperature can pose a risk of botulism," stated Karine LeBlanc, a Health Canada spokesperson. "Storing the mixture at room temperature may further increase the risk."
The bacterium C. botulinum thrives in low-oxygen environments and specific pH conditions. Although honey and garlic are foods where these spores can exist, their growth is typically inhibited under normal circumstances, explained Joy Gail Waite-Cusic, a food safety professor at Oregon State University. Honey's low water content prevents bacterial growth and molding.
The danger arises when these ingredients are combined. Bacteria in the honey can draw water from the garlic, initiating multiplication. If the fermentation process does not quickly lower the mixture's pH, bacterial growth can accelerate.
Ingesting this mixture can lead to infection by a bacterium producing the nerve-damaging toxins characteristic of botulism. Symptoms include muscle weakness, slurred speech, breathing difficulties, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, it can be fatal.
"If you consume that toxin, then it will exhibit its paralytic effects on you," Waite-Cusic warned. "Among the most common targets are your diaphragm, and so you stop breathing."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 243 confirmed and 30 probable cases of botulism in 2021, the latest data available. Infants accounted for the majority of these cases, reaching the highest incidence since 1976.
Infants are particularly vulnerable due to their underdeveloped gut microbiomes, which lack the necessary defenses against the bacteria. Adult gut flora and immune systems are generally effective at neutralizing ingested bacteria.
"There are a few documented adult intestinal colonization botulism cases (mostly from Canada), where peanut butter was implicated and one infant in 2024 in the UK," noted Haydee Dabritz, an epidemiologist with the California Department of Public Health.
While rare, the bacteria can still colonize an adult's gut. The disease is treatable with prompt medical attention, but it can be lethal if left untreated.
"The issue we're always facing with botulism discussions is it can kill you," Waite-Cusic emphasized. "It’s not ‘I’m gonna vomit for a few hours and get better.’ It’s ‘No, if you don’t get to a hospital and get the antidote, you’re dead.’"
LeBlanc advised against using homemade remedies as substitutes for approved medications, especially during flu season. "If you think you may need an antibiotic or other antimicrobial medication, speak with a health care professional. Antimicrobial medications, including antibiotics and antivirals, should only be used when prescribed."
Waite-Cusic suggested that consuming raw garlic and honey without fermentation offers greater benefits. (Raw honey should not be given to infants under one year old due to the risk of botulism.)
"You actually have the best antioxidant potential if they’re both raw," she said of honey and garlic, advising to simply eat the garlic, which becomes sweeter through the process.
