Re: Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn't Honey

So if the real concern is toxins, whatever that may be, heavy metals
or toxic organics, i dunno.... what we really want is a way to easily
test for them directly, instead of trying to figure out the origin
with a method that could be hacked (i.e. clearing all the pollen away,
then adding in pollen from a different region to mask its origin)

On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 10:41 PM, leaking pen <itsatrap@gmail.com> wrote:
> in addition, no, pollen isnt removed by the same process that removes
> bee debris. its watered down, heated to near boiling, forced through
> fine filters, then poured out and left to dry a bit to remove the
> original water. At that point, its no longer honey, imo.
>
> On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 6:04 PM, Jeswin <phillyj101@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 3:12 PM, Phil <philgoetz@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> On Nov 11, 4:54 pm, Nathan McCorkle <nmz...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isn...
>>> >
>>> > This might be a very DIYable test to perform, you could even take a
>>> > 'scope with you to farmers markets and do spot checks!
>>>
>>> What do you want to check? For the presence of pollen, or for the
>>> genuineness of the honey?  The article doesn't say this stuff is not
>>> honey; it says the pollen has been removed.  This could be the result
>>> of filtering out other things people don't like in their honey, like
>>> bee particles.
>>>
>> The problem is not that pollen is removed. The real issue is that removing
>> the pollen removes the only source to determine the origin of the honey
>> itself. Why do we need to know the source? Well, there have been cases were
>> the Chinese produce honey that is unsafe because it is tainted with
>> chemicals and other unnatural impurities[1]. A common factor of pollen-less
>> honey is that it comes from countries with poor regulation and a way to
>> circumvent any trace of origin is to remove the pollen. Suppose Canada
>> produces perfectly safe honey. Then all an illegal honey producer has to do
>> is to remove the pollen and ship through Canada to USA.
>>
>> Pollen-less honey in some cases can mean the stuff isn't all that kosher.
>> Its just one step in the testing process.
>>
>> Reference:
>> [1] "FDA Seizes Tainted Chinese Honey After Sen. Schumer Raises Fuss"
>> http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/06/11/127764536/honey-tainted-with-antibiotic-seized-in-philadelphia
>>
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>
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--
Nathan McCorkle
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Science, Biotechnology/Bioinformatics

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