Authenticity Test and Other analysis

[pabs]

Hello my frieds,

Im looking for a laboratory to make some analysis for my honey, like authenticity, nutritional analysis, etc.

Do you know any place where i can do that in the West Sussex area please?


Thank you

 

[B+.]

Hello my frieds,

Im looking for a laboratory to make some analysis for my honey, like authenticity, nutritional analysis, etc.

Do you know any place where i can do that in the West Sussex area please?


Thank you

The competent body in this area is FERA http://fera.co.uk/food/index.cfm

 

[pabs]

Thank you B+ for the reply. I contacted them and they came up with the prices. The y asked £3000 for the tests. I can post the whole email here if you want to. I think they ask too much.

Whata your opinion?

 

[midnight sun]

Thank you B+ for the reply. I contacted them and they came up with the prices. The y asked £3000 for the tests. I can post the whole email here if you want to. I think they ask too much.

Whata your opinion?

You don't specify what tests you requested. It depends on how many 'tests' and what for. I used to work in a lab. and the cost for each individual analysis for some food products was £70 for each element. Tot that up for every item, for each sample and it soon mounts up. That was over 20 yrs ago, so I can only imagine private lab. charges now.
You need to ask for a list of individual analysis' for each sample then see if it's good value. Or......... you may decide against proceeding! This is the reason that many keepers don't sell some 'home made' products, as the cost to get them onto a stall including the paper work is prohibitive.

 

[Thymallus]

Hello my frieds,

Im looking for a laboratory to make some analysis for my honey, like authenticity, nutritional analysis, etc.

If it's honey from your own bees and is above 80% sugar (check by buying a refractometer , £25 on flea bay). For nutritional information just crib the stuff from a generic supermarket brand.

 

[B+.]

I think they ask too much. Whata your opinion?

Thats for you to decide. If you want to do things properly, you have to get the proper analyses and import documents.

 

[Moggs]

Or......... you may decide against proceeding! This is the reason that many keepers don't sell some 'home made' products, as the cost to get them onto a stall including the paper work is prohibitive.

And to what do we owe that pearl of wisdom? You are surely not referring to honey?



I've had that déjà vu before...

 

[For want of a better word]

You don't specify what tests you requested. It depends on how many 'tests' and what for. I used to work in a lab. and the cost for each individual analysis for some food products was £70 for each element. Tot that up for every item, for each sample and it soon mounts up. That was over 20 yrs ago, so I can only imagine private lab. charges now.
You need to ask for a list of individual analysis' for each sample then see if it's good value. Or......... you may decide against proceeding! This is the reason that many keepers don't sell some 'home made' products, as the cost to get them onto a stall including the paper work is prohibitive.

Probably a bargain... to have beeswax and honey lip balm tested costed out around £5K and that was some time back.
Not a good place to be,.... between a rock and a hard place... now the authorities know of your intentions to ? import?

Yeghes da

 

[midnight sun]

And to what do we owe that pearl of wisdom? You are surely not referring to honey?



I've had that déjà vu before...

No.....read the post again and you will see that I refer to 'home made' products. Honey is not 'home made' it is a natural product made by bees. Slight difference I would say. Lip balm, polish, face cream etc. etc. would come under the title 'home made' products in my opinion. The licencing and testing procedures have been discussed on this forum before, hence the reluctance to proceed by most with untested and licences 'recipes'.

 

[midnight sun]

Probably a bargain... to have beeswax and honey lip balm tested costed out around £5K and that was some time back.
Not a good place to be,.... between a rock and a hard place... now the authorities know of your intentions to ? import?

Yeghes da

Exactly! Not worth the attempt at free advertising then? LOL

 

[Moggs]

No.....read the post again and you will see that I refer to 'home made' products. Honey is not 'home made' it is a natural product made by bees. Slight difference I would say. Lip balm, polish, face cream etc. etc. would come under the title 'home made' products in my opinion'.

Indeed. Something of a tangent to the OP's concern over honey, just to clarify the original request.


I've had that déjà vu before...

 

[B+.]

Probably a bargain

Exactly! If you want a thorough analysis that is beyond reproach, you need to be able to cite a respected source. Nobody would challenge a report from FERA

 

[midnight sun]

Indeed. Something of a tangent to the OP's concern over honey, just to clarify the original request.


I've had that déjà vu before...

I thought I answered the op's question in the opening section. The rest was just making sure I covered the possibilities. I was just being thorough.)

 

[pabs]

This is the reply with the prices and all the details.


For the authenticity test, we require a batch of 6 different samples minimum, these are charged at £500/sample (batch price of £3000). You can by all means send 3 samples if you wish, but you would still be charged the full batch price. We require a minimum of 100g from each individual sample. This analysis requires 15 working days to complete.



Below I have included a wider range of test that we are able to carry out on honey at Fera,



• Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) – this detects whether the honey has undergone excessive heat treatment during processing or adulteration.

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 50g should be sufficient



• Diastase Activity

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 50g should be sufficient



• Moisture

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 50g should be sufficient



• pH

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 50g should be sufficient



• Sugar Analysis – this tests fructose, glucose and sucrose only. This tests for each individually or as a total.

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 50g should be sufficient



• GC-MS & LC-MS

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 100g should be sufficient



• Veterinary Drugs – We are the National Reference Laboratory for Veterinary Drugs (including, for example, chloramphenicol and Nitrofurans in honey) and we conduct the UK Statutory Surveillance Program, which includes honey. We have a variety of tests which can be undertaken, accredited to ISO 17025 (not Tetracyclines); these are shown below:

- Penicillins

- Sulfonamides

- Tetracyclines

- Chloramphenicol

- Nitrofurans

- Aminoglycosides

- Macrolides & related compounds { Via Multi-Residue Method }

- Quinolones { }

- Nitroimidazoles { If all three drug classes }

- 10 working day turnaround

- A sample size of 200-250g is normally sufficient



• Verification of Geographical Origin – Isotope ratio analysis to confirm honey is from its stated country or region of origin.

- Requires information about declared origin.

- Minimum batch of 6 samples required

- 3 week turnaround

- A sample size of 100g should be sufficient



• 13c Analysis of Honey – This detects the presence of added cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup according to official Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) method.

- Minimum batch of 6 samples required

- 3 week turnaround

- A sample size of 100g should be sufficient



I hope you will find this information very useful. If you wish to proceed with any testing or require any more information please do not hesitate to get in touch so I can generate you a quote.

 

[midnight sun]

The mail does not specify exactly what the £3000 covers regarding tests, so is too vague to comment on. The rest is just advertising what else they can test for. The mail is some what useless as it stands. If you want to know what your £3000 will buy EXACTLY then you would be better to ask them, not us, then decide if it's worth it.

 

[Dishmop]

Thats for you to decide. If you want to do things properly, you have to get the proper analyses and import documents.

Import Documents?

 

[B+.]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33244

 

[pabs]

Import Documents?

Greece is within the European Union. Do i still need import documents?

 

[B+.]

Greece is within the European Union. Do i still need import documents?

http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/imports/want_to_import/animalimports/honey

 

[pabs]

Ive checked that many times. It describes the import from countries outside the EU.