Do you know what's in your honey?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325854)
Rockingham, Australia
September 3, 2018 6:01pm CST
Last night on the evening news one of the main stories was about the adulterated honey that is now on our (Australian) shelves. It seems many of our brands are using local honey mixed with honey from China. Unfortunately something other than honey is being added to the mix. It seems there are a number of sweeteners that can be added to bulk up honey such as rice or corn syrup and others. These then provide a cheaper product.
Samples from various brands were sent to a leading scientific laboratory where a specialised test called the NMR was applied and showed that 12 of the 28 samples were not 100% pure honey. However, the same 28 samples when tested using the official Australian test, C4 all passed.
It seems the bee population all over the world is at risk and, in Australia, it is estimated that 65 per cent of our crops depend on bees for pollination. Drought and the resultant shortage of flowers is also having an effect. Despite these factors, honey is becoming cheaper and cheaper. Food fraud, as they call it, seems to be a burgeoning industry.
66 people like this
69 responses
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Sep 18
@DWDavis @johnroberts It's pretty bad. Here, it's the home brand honey that is most at fault. It seems you can't trust anyone these days no matter how much they waffle on about their 'pure' products.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Sep 18
I echo your sentiments. You can't trust any food products these days.
8 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (36451)
• Toccoa, Georgia
4 Sep 18
@JohnRoberts I agree and it is sad.
3 people like this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
4 Sep 18
There is a method to test if the honey is pure. Anything added will show. Just add a little honey to water. If the honey is pure it will not dissolve but sink below.
I have honey daily in my milk. I just changed the brand after using one for several years. I found it to be adulterated. Also one knows how pure honey smells
10 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
4 Sep 18
You can also put your honey in the freezer. If it freezes, it has been adulterated. (Pure honey has less than 20% water in it so it can't freeze.)
8 people like this
@cacay1 (83223)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
4 Sep 18
@allknowing, wow, I will try this my friend. I am taking honey just recently. I am going to find out if the one I am using is pure honey.Thanks for this info.
4 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
4 Sep 18
@JudyEv Then Australia needs to change the test procedure. All I know about Chinese honeys is that they are bad quality honeys coming from a warm extraction. I never saw a top quality Chinese honey issued from a cold extraction. Now many people are unable to make the difference...
3 people like this
@lookatdesktop (27129)
• Dallas, Texas
4 Sep 18
Local honey is sold at the store we shop at. Burleson's honey comes from Waxahachie, TX, just about 35 miles south of Oak Cliff, Dallas, TX. The honey is very good.
Our natural product has a more robust and fulfilling flavor profile.
5 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74594)
• East Tawas, Michigan
4 Sep 18
It's sad, we are being tricked into eating things, we don't want to consume!
7 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74594)
• East Tawas, Michigan
4 Sep 18
@JudyEv Most of them are, Judy:(
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (170025)
• United States
3 Sep 18
Yes, I tend to only buy locally sourced products or from a certified organic place. I don't trust cheap honey because most of it comes from China and is not authentic.
4 people like this
@snowy22315 (170025)
• United States
4 Sep 18
@JudyEv Yes, and that way you can support the local community too.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Sep 18
@snowy22315 Which is always a great thing. 
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
4 Sep 18
Because of the many health benefits, people are now turning to having honey in their daily regimen. Thus, businessman are taking the opportunity of how to make their honeys affordable, but to the detriment of their products because of the additives,
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
4 Sep 18
Thank you, Dearheart! You know I appreciate you! 
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
4 Sep 18
The law concerning honey is strict here in Switzerland, if you want to be sure that there is nothing but honey buy a product labeled "Pure Honey", if there is syrup it must be clearly stated on the label. My husband and I are not fan of honey, but I keep a jar in the cabinets and I buy our "pure honey" from a producer who has his farm 50 meters from our home.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
4 Sep 18
@JudyEv I remember that I read an article months ago and most honey sold in the United States only have a very small percentage of hones (if any). Pure honey is pretty expensive, a cheap product should make people think twice before buying.
2 people like this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
4 Sep 18
It is really good to be sure if it's genuine one; some could use sugars or other additives to it.
4 people like this
@cacay1 (83223)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
4 Sep 18
@acelawrites, let us always check if honey on sale is really pure or not.Our money is not fake but many keep on cheating people. They have to stop cheating people if they want their business to boom.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Sep 18
I wonder why more beekeeping isn't encouraged.
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
4 Sep 18
There are several reasons I can think of off-hand for beekeeping not to be taken up more than it is...
1. Many people lump all bees, wasps and stinging insects together when thinking about what to avoid in nature.
2. The more beekeepers there are, the less income for the already established beekeepers.
3. Honey bees are one of the insects that seem to be on the decline. (CCD or colony collapse disorder is still somewhat of a mystery to scientists.)
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
4 Sep 18
A friend told me there's a test to know if the quality of your honey is good. Put it in the freezer. I wonder if that'll with work with the honey you just mentioned.
3 people like this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
4 Sep 18
@JudyEv I actually don't buy commercial honeys or honeys from the grocery stores. I buy from organic farms. Or some indigenous people harvesting them in the mountains.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Sep 18
@toniganzon That's a much better idea than buying through grocery stores.
2 people like this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
4 Sep 18
I've said this before in another context but it holds true here as well. If you leave a door open for someone to cheat, a percentage of people will go through that door. Because we have started keeping our own bees, starting next year that should not be an issue that we will have to worry about making it onto our table.
3 people like this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
3 Sep 18
This is one reason to get your honey locally if possible. I've noticed the price drop on honey and something told me it was being adulterated It's a shame, we need to also do what we can to help the bee population. .
4 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
4 Sep 18
Its the same here. if you do not read the label you get syrup and very little honey.
3 people like this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
4 Sep 18
Yes I no longer buy honey because of all this Judy..
It is a real racket and scam.
I remember eating honey out of the honeycomb when I was a child.
Around here where I live there are many people that have their own hives. I would too if I could but I dont have a house.
3 people like this
