Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn't Honey

[The Straight Story]

Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn't Honey
Ultra-filtering Removes Pollen, Hides Honey Origins

More than three-fourths of the honey sold in U.S. grocery stores isn't exactly what the bees produce, according to testing done exclusively for Food Safety News.

The results show that the pollen frequently has been filtered out of products labeled "honey."
The removal of these microscopic particles from deep within a flower would make the nectar flunk the quality standards set by most of the world's food safety agencies.

The food safety divisions of the World Health Organization, the European Commission and dozens of others also have ruled that without pollen there is no way to determine whether the honey came from legitimate and safe sources.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration says that any product that's been ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen isn't honey. However, the FDA isn't checking honey sold here to see if it contains pollen.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/

[DainBramaged]

1. Adulterated 'honey', another fine product from China

FDA seizes Chinese honey tainted with dangerous animal antibiotic



The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and federal marshals have seized 64 drums of honey imported from China tainted with a potent and potentially lethal antibiotic.

The FDA says it tested a honey sample and found it contained chloramphenicol, an antibiotic approved only for use in humans with serious infections when other "less toxic" drugs won't work. People who are sensitive to the drug can develop a bone marrow condition which could be fatal. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also found the drug causes cancer.

The honey, seized at a Philadelphia distribution center June 4, was imported by Sweet Works Inc. of Monterey Park, Calif. from Cheng Du Wai Yuan Bee Products Co. Ltd. of Chengdu, China. It was sold to sold to Alfred L. Wolff Inc. of Chicago, which put it in storage.

Sweet Works couldn't be located for comment. Alfred L. Wolff Inc. didn't respond immediately to an email and its website and phone numbers were offline today.



See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/payFtB

[Xicano]

20. But poisonous food from China is good for you didn't you know?

According to Erin Burnett:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t67Goh__MI


How do some people get to a point where $$$ are more important than people's lives?

[Enrique]

2. word of the day: Melissopalynology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissopalynology

Melissopalynology is the study of pollen contained in honey and, in particular, the pollen's source. By studying the pollen in a sample of honey, it is possible to gain evidence of the geographical location and genus of the plants that the honey bees visited, although honey may also contain airborne pollens from anemophilous plants, spores, and dust due to attraction by the electrostatic charge of bees.

(...)

:bounce:

[The Straight Story]

5. Would be fun to ask Cain is he is for/against more funding for Melissopalynology

:evilgrin:

[Ikonoklast]

10. "I never touched anyone named Melissa!"

"I might have said she had a fine rack, but no touching was involved. Next question!"

[JHB]

13. "I think her cousin Sarah can fund her herself"

[KansDem]

3. Well, if it ain't honey, then what is it?

:shrug:

[robinlynne]

8. could be made from sugar.

[KansDem]

18. More likely corn sugar or high-fructose corn sugar with artificial maple flavoring

[yellowcanine]

19. That is ersatz "maple syrup" you are talking about. Not the same thing.

Though I suppose you could do a similar thing with honey flavored syrup but I doubt you would fool many people - and you for sure could not legally call it honey.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Raw honey is more expensive, but it's definitely honey with pollen and organic compounds

in it.

[yellowcanine]

6. It is honey if bees made it. If it has been filtered, maybe it should be labeled as

"filtered to remove pollen" but I don't get it that it can no longer be called honey. Filtering it does not negate the fact that bees made it so from a scientific standpoint it is still honey but maybe you can no longer prove the fact. If water has been added the label should say that. At some point of course it becomes not honey but a product which contains honey. As long as it is labeled correctly I have no problem with the procedure per se. People should know what they are getting.

[Edim]

12. bees make honey from sugar syrup

If you feed them abudantly with sugar, they'll make "honey" out of it and store it just like the honey from the natural nectar.

[sarge43]

14. Agree. Don't see what the pollen has to do with it.

Now if it's super heated, 130F or more, then many, if not most, of the enzymes are destroyed. Then, it's pretty much sugar water. Also agree with correct and thorough labeling.

When able, buy locally. That honey may be filtered to remove the big chunks, but it won't be super heated and the pollen will be there.

[Gold Metal Flake]

7. Buy local.

Support your local honey collectors.

[Lochloosa]

9. +99

[yodermon]

15. Yep! This is where we get our honey:

http://www.thebradfordstore.com/products/

[pansypoo53219]

16. farmer's market too.

works better for hay fever + such.

[tk2kewl]

11. bee sugar is the same as corn sugar is the same as regular sugar..

...your body can't tell the difference. :sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

17. If you want HONEY go to a health food store which should have it in glass jars -- !!

[Still Blue in PDX]

21. Winco has busy little bees in the bulk food section.

There's a sign above the box that says, "DON'T OPEN." Pull the lever on the spout and honey comes out.

I don't eat honey because I've read that bees can get squished and lose their wings and legs when the honey is removed from the cone. I don't know if that is just PETA propaganda, but I'm sweet enough anyway.
:rofl: