A beekeeper has offered me a product that he has been feeding his (small scale) hives with (apparently) no harm.
I am suspicious, but (of course) the price is right and I could be
tempted.. I would feed only a couple of hives at first, and do my best
to test, etc. I thought I would ask here, I just don't know enough
about it but I am assuming you guys will be able to talk me out of it,
or get me headed in the right direction as far as researching this
specific product.
I will describe it, if you have questions or need clarification, please ask.
Basically the product starts out as 1/2 invert sucrose syrup (liquid invert
sucrose syrup from ADM sweeteners, beet based), and 1/2 fructose syrup. NOT type 55 or 42 HCFS, apparently, possibly a "fruit based" REFINED fructose syrup product.. I will be able to get more information about that soon.
This syrup goes through a process where blueberries are soaked in it before
drying. The goal is to get the "sugars" into the berries so they can be dried with sugar as the preservative. No other preservatives or
ingredients are added.
During the "soaking"
process, the natural acids in the berries turn most/ all of the sucrose
into fructose (simple/single sugar). At some point the product becomes
too dilute from the water in the berries, and they put it in a tank
where vacuum boils water off at temps 120 up to 130 degrees F.
It is reused 2 or 3 times like this, and then the fruit drying season is over.
**One of my big concerns would be pectin, or other potentially toxic sugars being formed
**Also indigestible solids?
**The other big concern is HMF
Any advice, assistance, thoughts, or recommendation for where I might have
this syrup lab tested (even if only for HMF) would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks!
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