Most honey comes from managed honeybee colonies, where thousands of workers gather nectar and transform it into honey. But with global demand rising and specialty honeys fetching high prices, honey has become one of the most frequently adulterated foods in the world.
Fraud generally happens in two ways. Some producers tamper with the honey itself, diluting it with cheaper syrups, artificially ripening immature honey, or feeding bees liquid sugar solutions that end up stored as “honey.” Others commit label fraud, marketing honey as coming from a specific plant or region when it’s actually blended from lower-quality or imported sources.
A joint investigation by the European Commission and the European Anti-Fraud Office examined honey imported into the EU between 2021 and 2022. It found that 46% of tested consignments contained added sugar syrup. Producing natural honey is costly and time-consuming, while syrups from rice or corn are far cheaper to make and sell.
At Bee Conservation, we never feed our bees liquid sugar water. We only use solid sugar, ensuring our honey remains pure and unadulterated.
Honey fraud isn’t just about economics — it also raises consumer safety concerns. Studies have found traces of pesticides, heavy metals, veterinary medicines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in some imported honey. Added sugar syrups can also spike blood sugar more sharply than natural honey.
Science is fighting back. Chemical tests can detect foreign sugars, and melissopalynology examines pollen to confirm honey’s true origins. Now, artificial intelligence is being used to identify pollen with over 90% accuracy, helping regulators detect fraud faster and more reliably.
The jar of honey on your breakfast table may still hold secrets. But as scientific methods advance and AI improves, we’re moving toward a future where honey can be trusted — for its taste, purity, and integrity.