It has the color, the texture, the taste… but it might not be honey. Every day, deceptive jars flood our shelves, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to recognize real honey. The appearances are sometimes so well imitated that you could mistake it for artisanal production… or rather, for a well-organized industry.
Why is fake honey multiplying?
The popularity of honey makes it a prime target for food fraud. As a result, jars sold as « pure honey » are actually diluted, modified, or even artificial. It’s a bit like buying wine cut with water or orange juice… without any oranges.
A sweet wave of deception is seeping into our honey jars. In France, nearly half of imported honey is believed to be fake. A 2023 European Commission investigation revealed that 46% of honey imported into the EU is fraudulent , often cut with cheap sugar syrups made from rice, wheat, or beets.
In France, the situation is just as alarming: only 4 out of 21 samples analyzed were compliant , while 5 clearly fraudulent batches were intended for consumption in France.
This fraud often goes unnoticed , camouflaged behind vague statements on labels such as « mixture of honeys originating from the EU and non-EU » , a formulation so vague that it becomes complicit.
Disguised syrup
Some manufacturers don’t hesitate to dilute honey with glucose-fructose syrup. This allows them to lower costs and increase production volumes. It’s like watering down coffee with sugar water… it looks good, but the taste and quality are lacking.
A rushed harvest
Honey is sometimes extracted before it has fully matured in the hives. As a result, it contains more water, ferments easily, and loses its nutritional value. It’s like a tomato picked too early: it’s there, but tasteless.
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