In a message dated 02/04/2004 06:03:21 GMT Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> Wholesalers and packers>are very picky>about what, where and when - demand
> samples before >delivery, and send>back analysis results to the honey
> producer.
>
> I am surprised European on the list do not react more than that to what is
> written about this thread.
>
> >It would be difficult to sell a "White honey" in>France - it needs to be>
> designated to its floral source, be it be Rape,>Clover, mix of whatever
> >- the final sale price depends on what the pollen>spectrum indicates>
> (amongst other quality defining factors).


Coming from the UK and therefore nominally European I suppose I'd better
speak up here.  Our local Trading Standards Officers take an interest in honey and
one of them specialises in it.  He is thinking of taking up beekeeping
himself.  As a result one local commercial honey producer had to take a black pen to
eliminate the 'er' from his heather honey labels as it was not predominately
Ling heather (Calluna vulgaris) but bell heather (Ericas).

I saw the TS Officer to get him to check out my cut comb honey and labeling
before it hit the shelves (always go to the auditor before he comes to you)
and asked him what had happened to a friend's honey that was sampled and no
result had been heard.  As I knew about it and he would therefore be betraying no
confidences he showed me the report which was on its way out.  It had been
sent to an analytical chemist for testing and had passed with no problems at all.
The HMF didn't even reach the start of the scale.

One of the things that the TS people are keen on is ensuring that things are
as they are claimed. Thus if somebody was selling 'organic potatoes' at the
roadside they would buy some and test for chemical residues that shouldn't be
there if really organic but would be permissible in ordinary ones.  It is sad
that chemically produced is now regarded as ordinary whereas naturally produced
is not.

Chris

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