Posted by Susan on 11/7/2009, 8:53 am
Hi all,
I read this informative post on another list serve I am on, and if you buy lots of honey (I do), then this info is good to know. I buy local anyway, but it pays to read the label.
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If you live in USA and purchase honey from a store it most likely is not from USA, 70 percent of the honey consumed is imported. China being one of the biggest honey producers has a track record of adulterated and tainted honey. There is a big problem with imported honey and mislabeling. Most recently is the problem of imported honey being blended with sugars so read the fine print to be sure you are not buying a "honey blend" and it is well hidden so read the label with care, but most processors are not honest and label it as pure honey. There are bans on importing honey from some countries, China being one of them, yet they manage to get on our grocery shelves through the back door, countries we accept honey from purchase China honey by the barrel, repackage and re-label and send it on to USA. This honey has tested positive for the antibiotic chloramphenicol a food contaminant that can cause idiosyncratic aplastic anemia along which many other contaminates.
Honey is exempt from inspection and the grade is determined by the producer. There is no standard of identity for honey. Because of the past problems of adulteration, "blends", and the dumping by other countries which hits the market hard for U.S. producers some states are making their own standard of identity, Florida being one just passing this action July 2009.
So it really is best to look for honey at the farmers market, a farm stand or from someone with a beehive in their yard. Do not purchase it at big box stores, etc. because most likely you are getting a honey blend or imported honey. Local honey is the best for your health since it is made from the plants you live beside every day.
The national honey board is working to fix some of these import problems. It is a hot topic right now with anyone who sells honey since the dumping of honey is driving the price down and it hurts small producers such as the apiary I manage. If you eat local honey regularly your tongue will tell you immediately if the honey is a blend because the taste is so off. The local bee club did a honey comparison and it was so obvious, there was good local honey, local honey that was poor because the beekeeper had been feeding sugar syrup to the bees when the honey super was on (which is illegal to sell in Maine) and the bees put that up, and imported honey. Really big differences in the taste. The apiary owner where I work used to be a honey judge and he can taste honey and look at it and tell you what was in bloom when it was made.
I hope this helps you when making syrups with honey, stay away from honey at B.J.s, Wal-Mart etc. because you are not getting what you paid for.
Katu
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