Tips for recognising natural honey from fake honey

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Extract from the article: In Togo, honey remains a foodstuff that is widely used for its various virtues. It is used for both therapeutic and dietary purposes. Honey's diverse properties make it both a food and a highly prized medicine. So, for commercial and economic reasons

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In Togo, honey remains a foodstuff that is widely used for its various virtues. It is used for both therapeutic and dietary purposes. Honey's diverse properties make it both a food and a highly prized medicine. So, for commercial and economic reasons, some crooked individuals are marketing fake honey or counterfeit products similar to honey. Consumption of these products could inevitably have enormous adverse effects on consumers' health.

How do you recognise a good honey? Not all honeys are created equal. Counterfeit honeys, just like natural honeys, are visibly difficult to distinguish. Once they have been produced, extracted and packaged in small tins of 250 to 500 or even 600 ml, and rarely 1000 ml, they are most often transported to points of sale in pharmacies, supermarkets, shops, village markets and even in people's homes. Some commercially available honeys are made from granulated sugar, glucose, diluted with syrup or gelatine. 

Distinguishing between real and fake honey 

According to Dr Comlan Koudégnan, a research lecturer at the University of Lomé's forestry research laboratory, it is physically difficult to tell the difference between real and fake honey. « Generally speaking, fake honey has added glucose syrup or other sugars or substances that have no connection with floral nectar.The product does indeed look like bee honey, but the origin, designation and proportions are quite different.Natural honey, or real honey, is made by bees gathering nectar from flowers.It is a honey with no mention of glucose or flavourings. Aromas are a good criterion.Real honey gives off aromas of flowers and herbs, fake honey much less so ».

For a quick distinction in the field, traditional tests can be carried out. These include the drip test, the spoon test, the dissolution test, the sand test and the paper infiltration test.... « For example, if you heat real honey, it caramelises. Fake honey, on the other hand, foams due to the moisture in the product. In the same way as on a slice of bread, fake honey moistens the bread whereas real honey tends to harden. Another possible test is to put a little honey in a glass of water; real honey, which is not very soluble, tends to sink to the bottom of the glass », says Dr Comlan Koudégnan.

Speaking about the difference between quality honey and fake honey, beekeeper Mohamed Kourouma explained that « fake honey is not made from honey produced by bees. Some people make it from sugar and put it on the market.There is honey produced by bees. There are untrained beekeepers who harvest, process and package honey, but who degrade its quality.Quality honey depends on well-trained beekeepers who are involved in the harvesting, processing and packaging processes ».

In Togo, the honey produced by certain beekeepers' cooperatives (Doole from Tchaoudjo, Depond-Mon from Bassar and Hassana Gafole from Tchamba), winners of the 2023 competition for the best honey in the central region, is considered to be fresh, genuine and natural, with no chemical inputs.It is 100% traceable honey, produced using improved beekeeping techniques around the forests.These cooperatives are registered, recognised by the State and are members of the Union of Beekeepers of the Central Region of Togo. This official recognition is a guarantee of the quality and traceability of their honey.

Preserving honey in glass and plastic bottles?

Dr Comlan Koudégnan, a research lecturer at the University of Lomé's forestry research laboratory, has shown that the fermentation of honey is due to the presence of moisture in the jars. That's why it's important to store honey in a suitable container (usually glass, as advised by bee and hive professionals). « Honey can be stored in the same way as wine, as long as it is not too damp and the lids are perfectly airtight. To keep it looking good for longer, we strongly recommend storing it in a cupboard, away from light. Honey should be packaged in an airtight glass or waxed cardboard jar.These are the most suitable packaging methods, as they prevent the honey from picking up odours from the surrounding area », stresses the teacher-researcher.

Choosing the right honey

Dr Comlan Koudégnan advises people to choose honey with a clear label of origin (name and address of the beekeeper, official registration of the cooperative) and to favour reliable sales outlets that offer better traceability, such as specialist shops or direct purchase from the beekeeper or the cooperative's honey house. To choose a quality honey, it's also important to look at the information on the label.

William O.