All UK honey tested in EU fraud investigation fails authenticity test

[AE-NMidlands]

all depending what other sh1te they found in it Stinsy.
If you are going to fake you don't give a f.... beyond the money it makes you.

This has been a long-standing problem, and is a sort of arms race between the fakers and the analysts,

It was first noted after the oil supply problems about 30 years ago, when the yanks decided to get alcohol fuel as an alternative. They invested heavily in bioethanol from Maize, the trouble was that you got high fructose corn syrup as a by-product. That looks and tastes very similar to honey from oil-seed rape but it was found that the sugars are slightly different, but only in the carbon-11 to C12 ratio. When that loophole was closed the (mainly Chinese) fakers started offering sugar syrups which couldn't be distinguished that way and had the nerve to blatantly offer it in all sorts of "honey" flavours, but the adverts for bulk chineses stuff seem to be suppressed nowadays.
There have been a succession of tests but the UK won't pay to do them so we are where we are now. That government statement

“If this study does not trigger a broad and serious investigation in the UK like the one in the EU, then either the UK are completely incompetent or they are complicit.”
The government disputes claims that honey imports are adulterated on an industrial scale. It has previously said there is “insufficient evidence” to date to indicate fraud and the enforcement is “fit for purpose”.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The UK government takes any type of food fraud very seriously – including honey adulteration. There is no place for adulterated honey which undermines consumer confidence and disadvantages responsible businesses.
“We work closely with enforcement authorities to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration, meets our high standards – and maintains a level playing field between honey producers.”

is evasive and hides the fact that trading standards is woefully underfunded and nothing is being done. The BBKA has been going on about it for years, a recent petition for accurate labelling (to accurately declare countries of origin) got nowhere as I think it would impact the Party donors who make money by selling honey below the cost at which it can be produced.

[Mr Gus]

Thanks for the detail.

Best option, buy uk sourced honey, accept higher prices for increase chance to get what you are after.
Do not buy blended honey of mixed origin.

Moan & bitch to the brands you do buy from & ask for details as to how they monitor & guarantee product to ensure standards don't slip & that change comes from the better players pressuring govt I guess.

[Fintray]

“If this study does not trigger a broad and serious investigation in the UK like the one in the EU, then either the UK are completely incompetent or they are complicit.”
The government disputes claims that honey imports are adulterated on an industrial scale. It has previously said there is “insufficient evidence” to date to indicate fraud and the enforcement is “fit for purpose”.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The UK government takes any type of food fraud very seriously – including honey adulteration. There is no place for adulterated honey which undermines consumer confidence and disadvantages responsible businesses.
“We work closely with enforcement authorities to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration, meets our high standards – and maintains a level playing field between honey producers.”

I doubt the government will care about this, after all it is the same government that told everyone British beef was safe to eat during the BSE crisis.

[Mr Gus]

"Why is it that every time a food scare breaks the politician responsible invariably feels the need to eat the offending foodstuff in front of a television camera? John Selwyn Gummer, the agriculture minister when the BSE crisis broke in the UK in 1990, claimed this political technique for his own when he force-fed his bemused 4-year-old daughter a hefty beefburger, purchased from a nearby market stand, under the astonished gaze of the international media. Was this an isolated moment of madness? Or are all politicians willing to put the safety of themselves (and their families) below everything else?"

(taken from the lancet)

https://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/758 ... gummer.jpg

At an event in his Suffolk constituency. Although his daughter refused the burger, he took a large bite himself, saying it was 'absolutely delicious'.

(The same "environmental advisor" john selwyn gummer known for not declaring taking money from Qatari oil / gas producers)

[AE-NMidlands]

“If this study does not trigger a broad and serious investigation in the UK like the one in the EU, then either the UK are completely incompetent or they are complicit.”
The government disputes claims that honey imports are adulterated on an industrial scale. It has previously said there is “insufficient evidence” to date to indicate fraud and the enforcement is “fit for purpose”.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The UK government takes any type of food fraud very seriously – including honey adulteration. There is no place for adulterated honey which undermines consumer confidence and disadvantages responsible businesses.
“We work closely with enforcement authorities to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration, meets our high standards – and maintains a level playing field between honey producers.”

I doubt the government will care about this, after all it is the same government that told everyone British beef was safe to eat during the BSE crisis.

I am sure you are right , as unfortunately only 12000 people have signed the petition on labelling - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/624402/
It wouldn't stop adulteration, but it might make people wonder what was in a jar that contained predominantly Chinese, Turkish or Iranian "honey." It's hard to see how Iran can be the world's 3rd highest producer. (https://www.helgilibrary.com/charts/whi ... ost-honey/)

[Moxi]

Having been a regular visitor to Iran over the years I can attest to the vast quantities of hives seen all around the different regions and the taste of the local honey being WoW!

Cant speak for them being the 3rd largest producer but I did know that they Honey had traditionally bee'n (geddit? ) one if Iran's exports, just as they export Steel, Nuts and Fruit, Veg and of course oil and plastics - all part of their top ten global exports

The person in the street is genuinely nice and down to earth just like us they want to get on and live a good life and bring up their family. Just like us they have a leadership elite that has its own agenda that doesn't necessarily match the wants and needs of the masses.

Seems to be a common thing doesn't it - leaders not listening to the masses ?

Anyway- great country fabulous people

Moxi

[Joeboy]

Having been a regular visitor to Iran over the years I can attest to the vast quantities of hives seen all around the different regions and the taste of the local honey being WoW!

Cant speak for them being the 3rd largest producer but I did know that they Honey had traditionally bee'n (geddit? ) one if Iran's exports, just as they export Steel, Nuts and Fruit, Veg and of course oil and plastics - all part of their top ten global exports

The person in the street is genuinely nice and down to earth just like us they want to get on and live a good life and bring up their family. Just like us they have a leadership elite that has its own agenda that doesn't necessarily match the wants and needs of the masses.

Seems to be a common thing doesn't it - leaders not listening to the masses ?

Anyway- great country fabulous people

Moxi

Same in Turkey re volumes and taste pine, flower and thyme are the predominant variants in our area. I buy from the locals down at Monday market and take the glass jar back when finished. Not sure how much of an impact the fires year before last will have had on production in the area. So far so good. We often see trucks loaded up with hives moving from area to area, so hopefully a lot of the hives will have been transported out to other places while the growth comes back. Is that a UK think too maybe at a smaller level (moving hives from various areas)?

[Moxi]

Yes I have seen flat bed vans and trucks with HIVES being moved to fields and Orchards etc in the UK before now, much prefer the idea that more bees are bread to have colonies all over the place rather than moving them but thats the commercialisation of nature isn't it - don't worry about the workers (bees) do whats best for profits.

Moxi