80% of Honey Impure – New Investigations Demanded

4 out of 6 honeys are impure and deviate too much from the typical honey profile. They have been adulterated with cheap additives such as corn, rice, or sugar beet syrup. This was determined by an independent lab commissioned by the ARD Competence Center for Consumers using DNA analysis now demanded by professional beekeepers. The test included 2 higher-priced and 2 mid-priced honeys from Rewe and Edeka, a Fairtrade honey, and a regional product from an organic market.

Adulterated Honey in All Price Ranges

The results confirm previous tests by the German Association of Professional and Commercial Beekeepers, which had previously tested 30 randomly selected honeys from supermarkets using DNA analysis. The result: 80% of all test products were impure. "What was equally shocking was that well-known brands were included, including organic honeys and fair-trade honeys," says Bernhard Heuvel, Vice President of the German Association of Professional and Commercial Beekeepers. According to the law, honey is a highly protected product and cannot be mixed.

Industry Rejects Lab Results

The large industry considers the new testing methods to be insufficiently developed and rejects the lab results. The companies' own tests supposedly demonstrate the purity of their products. Britta Schautz from the Berlin Consumer Center argues that only spot checks are possible in the large industry, meaning that not all adulterated honeys can be detected. Additionally, the companies know how the testing is done.

Professional Beekeepers Facing Financial Trouble

Professional beekeepers can no longer make a living from honey sales, as the prices for the product have dropped significantly due to cheap competition. "We would actually need at least 8 € or more per jar", says Bernhard Heuvel.