Honey fraud in the UK

[GuyNir]

I admire your optimism. Picking up on Repwoc's point (14) I now wonder which organisation actually footed the bill for the survey

That’s what is says on their website:

About us
The Honey Authenticity Project is an international sum of efforts of people and organizations whose fundamental interest is to stop honey fraud, in order to avoid affecting the rights of producers and consumers, as well as the environment, bees and health. The work we carry out through linking, legal, media, social and scientific actions is aimed at creating a new regulatory and control frame that prevents the commercialization of false honey that is so damaging to people and the planet.

 

[GuyNir]

Supermarkets do do tests, but mostly rely on proof of providence and a clear supply chain back to the producer.

I remember the horse meat scandal several years ago. Supermarkets had very little idea where their meat was coming from.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Wired article Jan 2021 - Honey Fraud Detection

I found this shocking. Mexican honey producers would be happy to get the equivalent of £1.50?/kilo for their honey. . . apparently. They are being driven out of business by cheap Chinese honey.
And Mr Moo Pat (Mexican bee farmer) , " His federation of honey producers has helped fund tests on supermarket honey in the UK, . . ."

So Mexican bee farmers are paying for UK honey to be tested! ? And we are the 6th? richest country in the world. No wonder.

 

[gmonag]

I remember the horse meat scandal several years ago. Supermarkets had very little idea where their meat was coming from.

..but they probably did have certificates, for what they are worth.

 

[Amari]

When we moved to this parish in 2001 there were some occupied hives in poor condition in a remote field which were later abandoned. They were said to belong to the perpetrators of this fraud.

 

[Repwoc]

So Mexican bee farmers are paying for UK honey to be tested! ?

If they want to export their honey to the UK then they are competing with the fake stuff so if they can get the fake stuff taken off the shelves then they will get better prices for their authentic product.

 

[mbc]

..but they probably did have certificates, for what they are worth.

Yeah, if you work as a procurement officer for a food chain your job is a lot easier if you believe everything you're told and don't ask too many questions, path of least resistance.

 

[Into the lions den]

Not a new story..a flawed test too. No prosecutions as the test is so innaccurate. It does not stand as of much value on its own..only as part of a fuller picture.

This 'Project' is actually a group of Latin American honey exporters or directly funded by them. Its part of a negative marketing campaign. Not saying the Chinese is all real....but this is not a 'clean potato' campaign.

Its NOT our sector of the market...never will be...we are upmarket and niche...but dont go thinking your honey will automatically pass that test. I know organic producers....genuine people...whose honey failed this test to their great horror...but passed on everything else.

 

[Into the lions den]

When we moved to this parish in 2001 there were some occupied hives in poor condition in a remote field which were later abandoned. They were said to belong to the perpetrators of this fraud.View attachment 25054

Whilst the story is undoubtedly real...I knew about it at the time but the actual offence is long way back......do you notice that this is subtitled as 'advertising'?

No doubt this will be lost in the mists of time but was this item placed by another beekeeper or beekeepers?

 

[Repwoc]

Not a new story..a flawed test too. No prosecutions as the test is so innaccurate. It does not stand as of much value on its own..only as part of a fuller picture.

This 'Project' is actually a group of Latin American honey exporters or directly funded by them. Its part of a negative marketing campaign. Not saying the Chinese is all real....but this is not a 'clean potato' campaign.

Its NOT our sector of the market...never will be...we are upmarket and niche...but dont go thinking your honey will automatically pass that test. I know organic producers....genuine people...whose honey failed this test to their great horror...but passed on everything else.

It's not just one test, the German lab ran a range of tests, including NMR and IRMS analysis and tests for the presence/absence of specific molecules and their concentrations. 19 individual tests.

https://honeyap.org/files/Document_III_HAP.pdf
Why do you think the tests are flawed?

What would you like to see to get the "fuller picture"?

 

[ericbeaumont]

What would you like to see to get the "fuller picture"?

Acceptance of a test by both suppliers and retailers; up to now they all dodge the bullet.

 

[Hachi]

I'm sure we all agree with ITLD's comments regarding our thoughts about the quality of our product being niche. Whilst we mostly manage to secure a reasonable return for our product, the amount on what is demanded by the consumer is not met by our efforts alone and even if this adulterated product was turned away at our borders we could not fulfill our domestic demand. I reckon, if I'm being honest, three out of the four customers who initially make enquiries, do not become regulars because of the price I charge. So what, sadly the consumer wants cheap products, including honey.

We can improve the situation albeit it marginally by uniting and marketing our products successfully. They won't market themselves and here's a novel thought, you'd think the BBKA would be up front and centre and lead on this but sadly........

 

[Into the lions den]

Why do you think the tests are flawed?

Most Chinese passes NMR. Even if thought suspect.
My organic friends in Italy fail. Then pass then fail again..and again.....not consistent.
Cut comb calluna..produced in OUR hives not fed for many months....the combs and boxes from that time long out of the cycle....produced on virgin foundation and a solid gel. Failed on NMR.
It is a product of the analytical industry and being justified with zeal...they have a vested interest in proving the test good.

Also...this testing program is briefed and funded by the honey authenticity project...an organisation of Latin American honey producers..not some body with high ideals.

Plenty on here scream foul if you see this or that study proving this or than chemical safe for use in agriculture, when they find the study...done in perfectly reputable labs...has been funded by Bayer/Monsanto...or one of a plethora of other betes noir.

Cant have it both ways....embrace the findings if they suit you (the honey fake story) or denigrate them if they don't (reports on the innocence of neonics?) pointing to biased studies following the agenda of the funder. I personally have few issues with the funding of projects just so long as the aim is to find out facts, not just to whitewash or blackwash the target substance/product.

I could cite examples of tests being considered so crucial by the lab industry that they did not care if adherance to them sacrificed the innocent..they were NOT going to change..in parts as they had no alternative. This is not the place for this to be turned over however.

 

[mbc]

NMR tests are only as good as the database they're bring compared with.

 

[Amari]

Whilst the story is undoubtedly real...I knew about it at the time but the actual offence is long way back......do you notice that this is subtitled as 'advertising'?
No doubt this will be lost in the mists of time but was this item placed by another beekeeper or beekeepers?

No, it's the on-line edition of EADT. This link gives more detail. Honey scam couple fined

 

[Repwoc]

Most Chinese passes NMR. Even if thought suspect.
My organic friends in Italy fail. Then pass then fail again..and again.....not consistent.
Cut comb calluna..produced in OUR hives not fed for many months....the combs and boxes from that time long out of the cycle....produced on virgin foundation and a solid gel. Failed on NMR.

That's all interesting information that I for one wasn't aware of. Did you commission the tests yourself? Or was it part of a wider study? Are the results published anywhere? Which NMR experiment(s) did your honey fail?

In the Honey AP 'survey' all of the samples submitted passed one of the NMR tests and some passed two. All failed the foreign sugars NMR test. We know that NMR is not definitive for honey testing and is just one tool in the testing toolbox.

I agree that the tests need to be proven and reliable:

Why? Surely it's important to show that authentic honey passes the tests.

And as @mbc says:

NMR tests are only as good as the database they're bring compared with.

Do you think that all honey testing is pointless? Should we just accept that Chinese honey is authentic but super-cheap despite all of the reports to the contrary, statistics on Chinese hive numbers vs exports over recent decades and blatant advertising on Alibaba for 'honey syrup' that passes the fraud tests?

 

[Repwoc]

Not really. I don't want to sell my honey at £1/Lb to supermarkets

At Chinese honey wholesale prices you most likely wouldn't recoup the cost of your jars.

 

[Into the lions den]

That's all interesting information that I for one wasn't aware of. Did you commission the tests yourself? Or was it part of a wider study? Are the results published anywhere? Which NMR experiment(s) did your honey fail?

I am not sure what the actual parameters of the test were. I never commission tests...if a customer wants analyses that is up to them. I know what I do and dont do...so if the customers wants this lab proven that is up to them. However our honey goes through an array of tests..as do imported batches. NMR is not that highly rated in the trade. It seems to be VERY highly rated by the analysis industry.

Some ask or commission lots of tests..its their way of minding their own backs on issues like this. Some posters seem to think the packer just accept what they are told.....happy to believe that the bigger packers have whole departments and in house lab facilities to address these very concerns. Those that don't get companies like Minerva to do the tests for them.

As for the other posting about not bothering with testing|? Of course not....there MUST be regime of sensible testing and it has to be over a profile of characterisiics. Otherwise it is carte blanche to those who would push the less pure product onto the public....but we always have to remember that, in our niche, this is almost irrelevant.

 

[Into the lions den]

No, it's the on-line edition of EADT. This link gives more detail. Honey scam couple fined

OK...just wondered why it was tagged as advertising. Might be an artefact of where they cropped the page when scanning it.

 

[greenmeaney]

Interesting film on netflix( Lawyers guns and honey)