>> I do not think
>> you are saying that sucrose is a contaminant of
>> honey
>
> Indeed, I do not.
> I say syrup sugar "honey" is a lower quality product
> than nectar honey. Then, if nectar honey is diluted
> with sugar syrup "honey", the honey quality is
> affected.

Let's keep it simple.

*Sucrose* is a normal part of honey, as normally defined: The nectar of
flowers, gathered and stored by bees.

*Sugar syrup* is not.

Many good beekeepers feed sugar syrup and or HFCS to bees.  Some good books
recommend doing so.

Some scruplulous beekeepers are afraid that the sugar syrup fed -- either in
ignorance at the wrong time, or due to being moved around by the bees --
can/will wind up in honey extracted for sale.

Some people suggest this should be judged as absolute i.e. any amount -- no
matter how infinitesimal --  is an adulteration.

Others say, "Aw come on, a thimbleful in a truckload can't matter".

In return the idealists say, "Where do you draw the line then"?

The practicalists say, "I don't know.  How about at the level where it can
be detected?"

The idealists say, "But that is at levels over 5%.  That is no thimbleful.
Better we just do not feed unless we can be certain none goes into the
crop".

The practicalists say, "But my bees will die, besides sugar syrup is in just
about everything a person eats before the end of puberty".

The idealists say, "But honey will be pure.  If it isn't pure, and the
buyers catch on, then honey will sell for the price of sugar syrup.  How
would you like that?  Besides having 5% of our honey market occupied by
sugar masquerading as honey drive the price of the 95% real honey component
down ".

The practicalists say, "Keeping  my hives alive lowers my cost of
production.  I can sacrifice a bit of market and price for that end.
Besides a thimbleful in a truckload can't matter".

Loop until?

---

Someone else says, "Is that sugar syrup in my kosher honey kosher?  Organic?

Another says, "I'm wondering about those extra-floral nectaries".

To be continued...

allen
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/

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