Bees for Development :: How can I tell if honey has been adulterated?

Sugar syrups, corn syrups, and syrups of natural origin such as maple, cane sugar, beet sugar, molasses, are used to adulterate honey. Informed consumers are able to taste the difference between these and real honeys, but laboratory tests are needed to prove the difference. This is why honey marketing is so dependent upon building consumer trust that the product they are buying is real honey. Some people think that honey which has crystals in it may be adulterated with sugar but this is not the case - crystallisation of honey is a normal process.(Click here for information about crystallisation in honey)

Testing for adulteration with sugar
A laboratory test would have to be performed on the sugars present in the honey and the results compared with the national or international honey standard. Evidence of a large proportion of glucose compared to fructose would suggest sugar had been added.

Checking for adulteration with water
Honey with a high water content may be unripe (harvested too soon), or may be a mixture of honey and water. In either circumstance the honey quality is poor and fermentation may result. Water content is tested with a refractometer. Unadulterated, ripe honey has a water content of 23% or lower.

Emmanuel Olagbaju from Nigeria provided these tips on how to distinguish pure from adulterated honey:

1. Dip your finger into the liquid. As you lift your finger out, observe whether the substance drops immediately - if it does drop straightaway, then it is not pure honey. (Honey is very viscous).

2. Drop some liquid to the ground and observe. Pure honey does not flatten, but forms small balls: if the liquid does otherwise it is not pure honey.

3. Drop liquid into water and observe. If it sinks without mixing with the water it is pure honey, otherwise it is adulterated.

4. Dip a matchstick into the liquid and then strike the match. If it ignites the substance is pure honey, otherwise it is adulterated or fake.

First published in Bees for Development Journal #88