ARTICLES
Stimulus Material for depth studies, courtesy of Macquarie University (continued)
Almost one in five Australian honey samples adulterated
New and independent research has found almost one in five Australian honey samples has been adulterated
with cheaper sugar products, such as corn syrup or sugar cane.
Conducted by Macquarie University in collaboration with the National Measurement Institute, the new research
was published in Scientific Reports, and was undertaken using the only internationally-accepted testing method.
The study revealed adulteration is a persistent global problem, although Australian honey products were found
to be the least adulterated at 18 per cent, while 28 per cent of European honey and 52 per cent of Asian honey
were found to be fake.
Of concern, the two samples of New Zealand manuka honey tested as part of the study were found to be
adulterated. “Each year, there are 10,000 tons of New Zealand’s manuka honey sold globally,” says lead author
Mark Taylor, from Macquarie University’s Department of Environmental Sciences.
“New Zealand only produces 1,700 tons annually, so it’s not hard to do the maths and see there is a problem
with the product being sold.”
Honey is considered the world’s third most adulterated food, with additions of cane, rice sugar and corn syrup,
along with mislabelling of its geographic origin, being common fraudulent practices in the honey market.
“The findings all point to the same thing: that we need better regulations to ensure customers can have
confidence in the product they are being sold,” says Mark. “Currently, consumers are paying for a product that
is not what it says it is on the label.”
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Syllabus link: B
iology Module 6 Genetic Change
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1