In article <[log in to unmask]>, Bill Truesdell
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>This discussion (thanks to my error) has gone far afield. I do not think
>you are saying that sucrose is a contaminant of honey, since it is a
>component of nectar and in some plants, the dominant and nearly
>exclusive sugar. In essence, those plants are producing "sugar syrup".
Sucrose is indeed a natural component of both nectar and syrup. The fact
it is not of floral origin is of little importance as it is chemically
identical. Not all nectars are themselves of floral origin, and extra
floral nectaries are not that rare (cotton?). These are really producing
a sap much in the same way as sugar cane does. Once the bees process the
nectar and/or syrup there is little discernable difference between the
two, as the inversion and splitting process ends up with much the same
result. A mix of mono and disaccharides tasting akin to a syrup ON THEIR
OWN.
The focus on the sugars is actually missing the point altogether, as it
is the absence of the other, apparently minor, components which renders
sugar derived 'honey' inferior. The proteins, the essential oils, the
acids, the pollens,....all the things that distinguish one honey from
another.
Various honeys analyse with 2 to 11% sucrose in them (the latter is very
high and is naturally found in some samples of Borage honey)
A carbon isotope test can distinguish between sugars of nectar and non
nectar origin, but at low levels this is hard because a result might
fall within the natural range. It is also expensive, and is largely the
preserve of enforcement bodies over here. Pollen analysis is of little
use, as the pollen spectrum is not altered, just a bit more dilute.
However, sugar syrup, and invert syrup in particular, may also show up
in an elevated hmf.
Invert syrups can already be close to the legal max for Europe, with no
apparent discolouration or other off grading of the feed. Can be a
useful indication in apparently unheated honey. Such products can also
have a significant 'ash' reading in analytical results.
Yes, of course sugar derived honey is inferior to the real thing (though
there are some truly awful honeys out there), but chemically at the
sugars level there is little distinction, so low levels are hard to find
and of practically no impact on the organoleptic properties of the final
product.
Thus SMALL amounts finding their way into the supers from winter stores
being shifted about is not significant. Abusive feeding, and YES it IS
done, even here in the whiter than white UK (possibly even ESPECIALLY so
in this country ), is extreme malpractice and should be stamped out.
I listened to one beekeeper in mainland Europe one day and he fed his
bees in April, again in June, about 14 Kg each time, and then gave them
35Kg each in the autumn. He rarely loses a hive, and is delighted with
his average of about 50Kg a colony.
>
>I have some difficulty with any definition of "pure" honey since it gets
>us into the morass of "organic" and the like. Honey that comes from
>nectar (and aphids) can also have other collected "nectars" (like soft
>drinks) as has been noticed by most beekeepers. We do not treat that
>Honey as impure since the bees are just doing what they do best, which
>is collect sugars in solution and convert it into Honey.
Yes its a morass, for sure. Bees collect a plethora of things we would
actually like our clientelle to know about. Round here the favourite
watering hole is the ghastly black liquid which leaches out of the
bottom of dung middens. It is alive with bees even in the midst of a
nectar flow from floral sources. OK, they are thought to be after
minerals, but this stuff stinks and must contain all sorts of foul
pathogens and toxins. Against that, a pound or two of winter syrup
finding its way into the harvest (and not even consistently so) is a
minor issue.
>
>They, obviously, are breaking the law since they are not collecting
>exclusively from plants.
>
>Maybe we should call it "Free Range Honey", since we usually have little
>idea just where it did come from.
No Bill, you are perfectly well aware where the vast majority of it
comes from, to the point that it will have all the correct
characteristics, and be indistinguishable from, the product of the guy
along the road who religiously avoids all feeding. Just tell them what
it is and leave it to others to muddy the waters.
--
Murray McGregor
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