This was originally placed in the on-going topic;
What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today? by NigelP
The title of his the content in his posted link read: **Nine in ten honey samples from UK retailers fail authenticity test.**
In my opinion this subject is too important to be lost in the shuffle of that general topic and deserves a topic of its own. Therefore Nigel, I am respectfully re-posting your post here. Thank you Nigel for bringing this information to our attention!
Phillip
Quote from: NigelP on November 12, 2024, 04:05:58 AM
More a case of what many of us UK beekeepers have been saying for years now about the amount of fake honey we are gettign exposed to. 24 out of 25 jars from retailers failed....and as we import 400000 tonnes from China each year it's not difficult to see where the sugary addatives are being added.
24 out of 25 supermarket honeys fail authencitity tests.
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/09/nine-in-ten-honey-samples-from-uk-retailers-fail-authenticity-test
I've read similar stories regarding olive oil. They were dismissed as untrue but this story makes me wonder.
Quote from: Michael Bush on November 12, 2024, 06:36:56 AM
>24 out of 25 supermarket honeys fail authencitity tests.
And we know what that does to consumer confidence.
More and more people are aware of the issue and demand a quality, locally produced product. I have no issue with honey coming in from other countries as long as labelling laws reflect what the product is and the approximate percentages of the raw ingredients. For example the label could read ?Honey Flavoured Syrup? A list then stating something like 30% imported, blended honey, 70% corn syrup, artificial colours and flavour enhancers. This product may contain traces of??? In other words, the label is truthful. The reality is that some members of the general public don?t care or can?t afford to think along those lines. The idea of a food product coming from the other side of the world and then selling at a supermarket for a cheaper price than a locally made product makes you scratch your head. Someone told me yesterday that they saw some honey at the supermarket that came from one of Australia?s oldest and most recognised honey companies. The honey was sourced 12000km from Australia. At least the labelling indicated that. (In many cases you need pretty good eyesight to read that section) At least the price reflected the distance that the product had to travel before it reached the supermarket shelf.
Chinese honey exporters have been fined millions and blocked from bringing Chinese honey into the US.
Then we suddenly start receiving large amounts of honey from other countries that have never produced that much honey. They get fines. Then the honey is imported from another country. All of it cheap and most of it is sugar fed honey, not naturally collected honey.
Jim Altmiller
Both the olive oil and honey stories are true. China is the worst with honey, but adulterated olive oil can come from any country. Buy CA olive oil. It's US and it's checked. Buy local honey.
Part of my thoughts I can swear to, the rest I have been told. There is a man that sells LOCAL RAW HONEY from the side of the road parking lots ETC. He told me he buys his honey from awell known honey seller. They get some of their honey from a business in GA. I was " told " at a seminar that the GA place buys from South America and they buy theirs from China. ?????
Wow. Thanks Paus for the report!
In PA, we can sell honey that we produce at the end of our driveways but if we want to sell it anywhere else, there are some procedures that need to be followed. I would expect that selling inferior product that way would be detrimental to one's freedom.