BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
James Fischer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Date:
Thu, 11 May 2006 19:37:39 -0400
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (33 lines)
> What assurances do we have that none of it is
> transferred up to the honey supers?

None at all, if you overfeed, and your colonies
do not "burn all the HFCS up" raising brood.

> At what level is HFCS actually discernable
> in honey?

Very very very very very very very low levels.

A "carbon isotope ratio" test can detect HFCS in honey.
(I'd have to check the latest lab equipment catalogs
to give an accurate detection level, but if anyone wants
to check, the kewl way I think is state-of-the-art is via
"Infrared Laser Spectroscopy".  For all I know, that
method could be "soooo 20 minutes ago" by now.)

The difference depends upon the specific photosynthetic
process used by each plant.  Honey "should" be made from
"C3" (Calvin cycle) plants rather than "C4" (Hatch-Slack
cycle).

The ratio of C-13 to C-12 is what varies between C3
and C4 type plants.

Corn is a "C4" plant, while all (to my non-botanist knowledge)
honey plants are "C3".  Bad news, sugar beets are "C3" type
plants, but not to worry, there are other tests to find
sugar-beet adulterated honey.

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---

ATOM RSS1 RSS2