"Beekeepers Tested Honey Using New DNA Technology, But Most Jars Contained Very Little Honey, Mostly Sugar and Other Sweeteners."
"The industry organization Beekeeping Entrepreneurs has tested 40 honey products available in Swedish grocery stores using new DNA technology. The results were disappointing: only four jars contained genuine honey produced in Sweden, while the remaining 36 imported jars mostly contained sugar and syrup.
Yngve Kihlberg, chairman of Beekeeping Entrepreneurs, expressed shock at the extent of the fraud, stating, 'We knew there were counterfeit products on the market, but we are shocked by the scale.' These products are found on the shelves of major grocery chains. According to the organization, the counterfeit honey primarily comes from China, where producers have learned to manipulate the products in a way that evades standard inspections, resulting in jars filled mostly with sugar products and very little honey.
Kihlberg added, 'Chinese counterfeit honey is flooding the market and tastes like honey. However, the consequences are detrimental to European beekeepers, and pollination in Europe is decreasing, which contributes to reduced biodiversity and lower domestic food supply.'
The Swedish Food Agency has acknowledged the DNA test results and considers it a serious issue. Maria Florin, head of the agency, stated, 'We want to combat fraud, but since the honey issue falls under the EU, we cannot take action.'
The EU requires that testing methods for products like honey be accredited by specific laboratories to ensure the tests are conducted correctly. Florin noted, 'The fake honey is not just a problem in Sweden but for beekeepers across the EU. The matter is with the EU Commission, and we do not know when a decision will be made. As long as the EU does not approve the tests, we do not have the right to remove the products from grocery store shelves.'
Swedish grocery retailers have contacted their honey suppliers, but the suppliers argue that according to the currently approved testing methods, the products are classified as honey, so they do not plan to change their inventory. Martin Andersson, responsible for trade policy at Swedish Grocery Retail, stated, 'We would like to change the current testing methods if they are not effective, but we must wait for the EU's decision on the accreditation of DNA tests.'"
There's no place in Europe you can't get locally produced honey. If this is important to you get your honey from a local beekeeper, for a higher price obviously.
Yes, personnal responsibility and market mechanism will surely be enough to overcome fraud.
Not what I meant. I'm with you in regards to necessary policy change - however, I don't see a reason for that here. I was just pointing out that, if it's that important to you your honey comes from real bees, you can always get real honey.
I mean, if it's not honey, it should say that it is not honey If the manufacturer plays semantics and mind games with their product, labels and packaging, then the labelling and packaging laws should be made punitive and constraint manufacturer to prevent them doing this.
If I want flavored honey-colored corn syrup, I want it to be instantly communicated to me, from 20 feet away, that this is what is inside the packaging.
Thank you. I'm so incredibly tired of propaganda guilt tripping consumers to feel personally responsible for issues that should be regulated and fixed by a competent government.
I know this generally falls under the personal responsibility part, but I think it's also important to point out separately that not only do you have to do this, but you have to KNOW you need to do this. How many people are going to be exposed to this information and then remember it? I try to care and minimize my impact, but I legitimately forget who I'm "supposed" to be boycotting unless it's a big thing. I don't shop at target now, but should I have stopped sooner? Starbucks and McDs, but am I also not supposed to eat at chipotle? I legitimately do not remember. Heck, I don't even remember why I'm boycotting some places. I just assume if it's convenient and cheap I should not go.
Higher price and no convenience… one need to go in the village, hope someone is at home, endure the social interaction… because few shops carry beekeepers produce. Notably because tax avoidance. So it’s not exactly a walk in the park as a consumer.
The Chinese are probably only doing it for profit, but if the result of flooding the market with cheap "honey" is a crash in European pollinator population because of bankrupt beekeepers it could be a problem for agriculture and native European plant species, I guess.
Honey bees are competition for the wildly more important wild bees. Some kinds of wild bees were deliberately eradicated by commercial bee keepers so fuck em and if they're gone - good