Honey producers and food inspectors are standing on guard against “honey analog,” making sure no bogus honey is on Canadian shelves.
Presently there is no sign that the honey mimic from India has been used in Canadian products, but Wink Howland of the Canadian Honey Council said producers can’t afford to be lax.
“Given that the profit motive underlies some people’s total commitment to anything, there is a temptation to pick up a product that you can buy landed at your honeyhouse for 40 cents a pound,” Howland told the Saskatchewan Beekeepers Association at their annual meeting. That is half of what pure honey costs this year.
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Panic swept through the Canadian beekeeping business after an Indian company began direct-e-mails to honey producers offering honey analog, which is made from specialized sugars. The company claimed the product was already being used in Canada.
“Honey analogs are being supplied to various honey processors all over the world especially Russia, Middle East and Canada for blending with natural honey,” reads the website for Dhamphur Invertos Ltd., the company that makes the product in India.
According to the company, honey analog can be mixed into natural honey at a one-to-one ratio and is not chemically detectable.
In Canada, a product cannot claim to be “honey” unless it is 100 percent natural honey. Processors are allowed to blend products with honey, but they are not allowed to still call it “honey.”
Producers worry that unethical processors using a cheap substitute for natural honey would undercut the price for retail honey and undermine the viability of producers and processors who stick with unblended natural honey.
Howland said he called Dhamphur Invertos to ask for a sample of the product and for a list of Canadians who are using it. The company would not supply names, but it did send a sample.
Howland tasted the honey analog and found it similar to honey.
He sent some of the substance to the University of Saskatchewan food lab.
“It came back with a rather chilling note saying that this product exactly masks honey,” said Howland in an interview. Even in a pure form it would be indistinguishable to their technology.
Culprit caught
However, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ran the honey analog through its machines and could spot the phony honey down to a five percent blend. Howland said this reassured him.
Damphur claims Canadian processors are using honey analog, but John McCool, of the food inspection agency, said inspectors have checked honey products and processors across the country and haven’t found anyone using it yet.
“We’ve been dispelling the fears,” said McCool in an interview. Inspectors across the country have been informed about honey analog, and customs officers are checking imports.
“They are being especially vigilant,” said McCool.
Producers should inform the agency if they see any honey product that seems suspect either because they are too cheaply priced or the taste is wrong. If so, the agency can test product.
Canada has a rigorous testing system, but Howland said countries like Mexico are getting flooded with substitutes and beekeepers there can’t control the situation. He said Canadian producers shouldn’t panic.
“The companies supplying it are being watched,” he said. “They (the CFIA) are very confident the problem is not going to get out of hand here.”
