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Several Filipinos called for stricter laws against food fraud following the science and technology agency’s findings on local honey products.
In a press release last Friday, December 11, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute He said his study found that 62 of 76 or 82% of the honey brands they tested contained 95% C4 sugar syrup.
“So they are not actually adulterated, but purely sugar syrup,” said the director of DOST-PNRI. Baptist Angel VII explained.
The department specified that 12 out of 16 (75%) of the local brands of honey found in grocery stores or on souvenir boats are not “completely honey.”
Apart from these, at least 64 out of 74 (87%) 64 out of 74 of the local honey products sold online are “unclean”.
No adulterated honey was found in the 41 brands of honey sold in local stores.
Bautista and his team have already presented their findings to Agriculture department and the Food and Drug Administration.
He also called for stricter product policies and regulations to protect the local honey industry and consumers.
The DOST-PNRI researchers used nuclear tests in which fingerprints of carbon isotopes are traced to determine the authenticity of the honey.
They said that real honey has a protein content that shows carbon isotopes that match those of flowering plants and bees.
The adulterated ones, on the other hand, have carbon isotopes traced from sugar cane and corn.
Benefits of honey and health
Some Filipinos were disappointed by the findings of this study, citing that some buy honey products for their health benefits.
Healthline previously reported that honey’s health benefits include being a good source of antioxidants, having the ability to heal wounds, helping with digestive problems, and relieving a sore throat. It is also a powerhouse of phytonutrients and has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
In view of this, some Filipino online users also urged Department of Commerce and Industry and other related agencies to investigate such proliferation of fraudulent products on the market.
Others asked DOTR-PNRI to remove the brand names.
However, Bautista said the disclosure of company names will only be a band-aid solution.
“If we publish the names of the companies, they might stop for a while. But no one can prevent them from faking honey again in the future. If we incorporate these isotope-based standards into our regulatory system and the Philippine National Standards, then we believe it will be a lasting solution to this problem, ”he said.
Meanwhile, some users encouraged others to source their honey from local farms to ensure the authenticity of the honey products.
Bautista also echoed consumer sentiments, saying local brands were misleading them.
“The problem is that people are being deceived. You may be buying honey for its wonderful health benefits, but due to adulteration, you may actually only be buying pure sugar syrup. Consuming too much pure sugar syrup can cause harmful health effects, ”he said.
The director also noted that the local agricultural industry would be hurt by the proliferation of fake honey on the market.
the Philippine National Standard for Honey from the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Standards requires that the marketed honey does not contain food additives or other substances.
Any substances added to the mix should be listed on the label, along with where the honey was sourced from.
Imagine, the revenue that is supposed to go to our honest beekeepers and honey producers is being lost due to adulteration and fraud. This is affecting our local honey industry so much that we estimate they are losing PhP200 million per year, ”said Bautista.
Fake honey problem in the world
A September 2020 report from The Insider said that “honey is the third most fake food” in the world after milk and olive oil, according to the Database on food fraud.
Kelvin Adee, president of the American Honey Producers Association, was quoted as saying that adulterated or fake honey is bad for beekeepers and bees.
“Adulterated or fake honey depresses the price of real honey, which makes honey production unprofitable. Beekeepers have to turn to other sources of income, such as packing and selling honey themselves, raising queens / hives for sale, or pollination services. Honey production alone is not a sustainable option, ”Adee said.
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