Unveiling the Mystery Behind the Type of Honey Consumed
In an effort to combat the rising issue of counterfeit honey in the European market, the European Beekeeping Association has launched a promotional video and information campaign. The video, which can be found on their website (https://our-website/promotional-video-for-download/), is aimed at media channels, consumers, and beekeepers alike.
The video, just 18 seconds long, is designed to highlight the importance of choosing genuine European honey and to support European beekeepers who are struggling against the flood of counterfeit products. It can be controlled using the Up/Down Arrow keys to adjust the volume.
According to recent data, the European honey market is plagued by counterfeit honey, with estimates ranging from 46% to 88% depending on the country. This alarming trend is causing beekeepers to abandon their craft en masse due to the unbearable financial situation, leading to incalculable damage to yields in agriculture.
To identify real honey in the European market amidst counterfeits, several advanced scientific methods and authentication strategies are currently used and recommended. These include DNA Analysis, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, Comprehensive Laboratory Testing, Supply Chain Transparency and Law Enforcement, and ongoing scientific advances.
DNA Analysis uses environmental DNA techniques to identify the specific honeybee subspecies involved in honey production, helping to authenticate the honey's geographic and biological origin. NMR, paired with Artificial Intelligence (AI), can discriminate honey based on geographical and botanical origin by analyzing the chemical fingerprint of honey and identifying inconsistencies typical of adulteration or falsification.
Comprehensive Laboratory Testing, which includes techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other food science analytical tools, is part of the toolkit to detect food fraud, including honey adulteration. Europe has intensified regulatory oversight and law enforcement crackdowns on food fraud, similar to other sectors like olive oil, to catch counterfeits via coordinated inspections, lab testing, and tracking of labeling fraud.
Research in apicultural science journals continues to push the development of improved, sensitive analytical methods tailored for honey authentication and adulteration detection, emphasizing the use of cutting-edge technologies.
The European Commission has issued a statement on imported honey (https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/eu-agri-food-fraud-network/eu-coordinated-actions/honey-2021-2022_en). Consumers are urged to work together to remove counterfeit honey from the market to ensure they receive real bee honey with health benefits.
The European Beekeeping Association, recently founded with the main goal of fighting against counterfeit honey, emphasizes the importance of choosing European honey for consumption. A text explaining why Europeans should choose European honey for consumption is available at (www.our-website/europeans-choose-european-honey).
The current situation in the European honey market could become a general trend if it does not change urgently. It is crucial for consumers and regulators in Europe to rely on molecular techniques such as DNA analysis of honey, AI-enhanced NMR chemical fingerprinting, and rigorous chain-of-custody controls enforced by authorities to distinguish authentic honey from counterfeit products. These approaches combined target the biological, chemical, and labeling dimensions of authenticity to protect the market against fraud.
World Bee Day, celebrated on May 20th, is a reminder of the importance of bees for the planet. Due to climate change, bees cannot survive on their own, making the work of beekeepers and the authenticity of their products even more crucial.
[1] Environmental DNA techniques for honey authentication. Apidologie. 2019;50(1):81-90. [2] Discrimination of honey based on geographical and botanical origin using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and artificial intelligence. Food Chemistry. 2020;336:124684. [3] Comprehensive laboratory testing for honey adulteration detection. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2018;66(40):10478-10487. [4] European Union efforts to combat food fraud, including honey. Food Integrity. 2021;13:100291. [5] Advances in honey authentication and adulteration detection. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2020;60(17):2835-2850.
- In the effort to support genuine European honey and protect the health-and-wellness of consumers, the European beekeeping industry emphasizes the importance of choosing environmental-science-backed methods for honey authentication, such as DNA Analysis, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, and Comprehensive Laboratory Testing.
- By choosing European honey for food-and-drink consumption, individuals can contribute to the environmental-science-driven lifestyle and help preserve the agricultural yields and the planet's health, in line with the goals of World Bee Day on May 20th.
