Why is Honey 'unsuitable for children under 12 months'?

I have read that a beehive is a virtually sterile environment. Why then is honey unsuitable for babies? All types of honey I have bought have this warning....

Just me........	they could potentially choke on it... its very thick.....
Allie wishes	they could choke on it probably. its very sticky.
catwoman	probably because it can affect there 1st lot of teeth... i never knew that babies under that age were not aloud to have honey... well there you go you learn something new everday
Ash R	because the babys' digestive system cannot digest the complex solution of glucose found in honey.
Nikki	i am not sure but my mum discovered that if a baby couldn't take it or a pregnant woman couldn't then no one should really it is obviously doing some damage if a baby or a pregnant woman cant consume it!
glendaoneill@btinternet.com	I have seen this too on honey and apparently its because honey can have the bacteria responsible for botulism present and there is a small risk of contracting the disease from it. As babies under a year are at a very high risk of severe illness or even death from this, it is best not to give them honey.
black57	Honey has a high bacterial count. It is also quite high in sugar. I would avoid it comepletely.
Squeak	botulism, while adults and older children can tolerate some amounts of this bacteria, babies cannot. honey cannot be pastuerized so then some bacteria exists. honey cannot be 'organic' either, so some chemicals might be present too, which also might be harmful to babies.
Paul Rules	because of the sweetness
belinda	Honey is full of bacteria. Raw honey has a lot of probiotics, too much for little bodies. Pasteurized honey is OK for kids over 12-24 months (depending on whom you ask). Babies should avoid all honey because it occasionally contains live botulism that wasn't wiped out during pasteurization. Some doctors say that cooked honey is OK for babies, like in a cookie, but only older babies would be eating cookies, right? Some older people like to give babies bottles full of water with a little honey, but brown sugar works too. Personally, I wouldn't, but some people do.
Dingle-Dongle	Its because honey can cause botchulism in infants. Dont know why this is however but it is dangerous.
f0xymoron	Honey can harbour the bug botulinum, which can cause botulism. Babies infected with this bug become irritable and severely constipated, their breathing muscles can get weak and they no longer can sustain themselves. It hits babies hard because their immune system is not yet mature, and because they are so physically small, even a tiny dose of the bug can affect them greatly.
huggz	Probably because their digestive systems are not developed enough to cope with digesting it properly
olliedog	After finding out it is bee sick - I couldn't eat it either
Christy V	Eating honey can lead to the risk of botulism in infants. Adults have a more advanced immune system and can tolerate the botulinum spores that are found almost everywhere, but an infants system is immature and if they swallow the spores, they can germinate inside the baby and cause botulinum toxin. Honey can be a source of botulism for infants because honey often contains Clostridium botulinum spores
uisignorant	it should not be fed to children under age 1 because it may contain the deadly bacterium Chlostridium botulinum.
iakerman	I always thought it was because of the sugar content but it turns out it isn't: "The safety concern about honey arose because honey often contains spores that, under the right circumstances, can cause a disease discovered in 1976, called infant botulism. Infant botulism is spread by these spores, not by pre-formed botulinum toxin (Botox)."
softballchickie87	Babies under a year of age are not to be fed RAW honey, definitely. (Raw honey is defined as honey that has not been cooked.) Raw honey is believed to be a risk for infant botulism, which is a rare but very serious disease which causes severe muscle weakness including the inability to cry or suck, a floppy neck, constipation, and rarely death. This disorder has never been reported in a baby over a year of age. Many of the babies who developed this disorder had never even been fed honey, by the way, but botulinum spores have been found in honey, so it's important to avoid this possible source. Other cases may have been caused by spores in other foods or in soil, or some as yet unrecognized source. Babies are thought to be at greater risk from these spores because their gastrointestinal tracts have lower acidity, which can allow the spores to survive and grow. There may be other factors involving their immune system that contribute to their risk, as well. There is speculation recently that as many as five to ten percent of so-called SIDS deaths may have been undetected infant botulism! Hope this answers your question!