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Author Topic: Suspect fake honey  (Read 6037 times)

Orinlooper

  • Joined Aug 2015
Suspect fake honey
« on: June 07, 2016, 07:31:53 pm »
A friend has bought some so called local honey, but they suspect the beekeeper has been buying cheap stuff from China, is there an easy way to test it?


Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2016, 10:14:18 pm »
I doubt there is an easy way of testing it.


What makes your friend think it might be from China?


Trading standards might be interest if there is some real reason to believe it's fake.
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2016, 12:05:56 am »
This is indeed a difficult one, I agree with [member=8989]Bionic[/member] it would be good to ask the friend why they think this. I am not sure any test would be able to tell you would really need to have rock hard proof that it was fake before getting trading standards onto it. It might be worthwhile when buying the honey to ask how many bees they have or take a peek, with permission of course as being an inquisitive, ask how much they sell in a year and calculate from that, per what a single hive will produce if it doesn't add up then maybe then. It also might be worth buying chinese honey and comparing the 2
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2016, 08:19:36 am »
Tests can tell what flowers made the honey.  Is there another beekeeper nearby whose honey you could compare it with?

Victorian Farmer

  • Guest
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2016, 10:27:45 am »
This is so bad there is onley one that was proper manuka honey whith high properties  The rest is not worth having. But the market is flooded whith the fake honey specialey the better honey. So this is the one you need
« Last Edit: June 08, 2016, 10:29:23 am by Victorian Farmer »

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2016, 11:18:03 am »
Just watched a recorded program on TV last night about this very thing. They can test to find out what flowers the honey has been made from. The simple answer is, if she thinks she is getting cheap imported honey don't buy from this person again.

Caroline1

  • Joined Nov 2014
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2016, 03:55:12 pm »
Agree no way to really test it. I think asking questions to see how trustworthy the seller is, would be the best bet and if you don't trust them, don't buy it.
________
Caroline

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2016, 08:19:00 pm »
No way for us to test it, but authorities/those with the right equipment can and trading standards may well be interested. There will be traces of pollen in it, so either DNA or pollen analysis, neither of which is all that expensive, would show which species of flowers it is made from. While there will be some exotics within foraging range, it's unlikely that bees wouldn't use at least some uk natives.

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2016, 09:42:19 pm »
What grounds do they have to suspect the honey in question is not genuinely local? There would have to be some good evidence, just rumour isn't enough and has been said it would be difficult to test without getting trading standards etc involved.

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2016, 12:53:18 am »
When I was using the Honey Cooperative I discovered that you can also make " Electric or Expresso  honey " by double brooding & feeding each hive gallons of sugar syrup each week using scrap sugar .

 Because it is taken into tehbhoney stomach where converting bacteria are found & regurgitated  by the bees and mixed in microscopic amounts in each cell then moved around the hive as well ,  it is nigh on impossible to tell the difference even for big companies like Nestle where they have all manner of gas spectrum analysers & electron microscopes in their quality control labs .
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

ZacB

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Suffolk
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #10 on: September 27, 2016, 07:14:08 am »
Find a small local producer then I would hope you know the authenticity of what you are buying - contact the local beekeeping association and they can most likely put you in touch with somebody

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #11 on: September 27, 2016, 09:53:46 am »
Find a small local producer then I would hope you know the authenticity of what you are buying - contact the local beekeeping association and they can most likely put you in touch with somebody

Thought Manuka honey came from the Manuka plant which grows in new Zealand?
So wouldn't be available from a local producer anyway.
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

ZacB

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Suffolk
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #12 on: September 27, 2016, 09:58:01 am »
A friend has bought some so called local honey, but they suspect the beekeeper has been buying cheap stuff from China, is there an easy way to test it?
No mention of manuka in the original post........

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2016, 10:14:18 pm »
 No - you're right - sorry looked at the picture of Manuka and assumed that was the problem, as Manuka honey carries such a premium.
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Orinlooper

  • Joined Aug 2015
Re: Suspect fake honey
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2017, 10:54:08 am »
There are easy ways to test now, a spectrum analyser can tell if its local or imported.

 

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