Bob said:

> We need to force the word IMITATION HONEY on each
> bear and the largest print on the bear!

The CURRENT laws on the books require this.
The only problem is getting some wannabe Elliot Spitzer
interested in making a name for him or herself by
prosecuting the fraud.

A few months ago, I tossed together "The Wall Of Shame"
http://bee-quick.com/wall/
It is an attempt to document misleading uses of the
term "honey" in packaged foods.  The criteria used are
simple - if you want to use the word "Honey" on the
front of the box to sell more product, then honey should
be the PRIMARY sweetener used.  I don't expect anyone
to use honey as the only sweetener, as this simply is not
practical in some specific types of food products.  If you
play fair, your product goes into the "Hall Of Fame".  If
you don't, you get shoved up against the "Wall Of Shame".
Simple.

So, for example, the Honeytree Imitation Honey is here:
http://bee-quick.com/wall/honeytree.html

If anyone can e-mail me a legible photo of the label on the
"Purity" swill, I will be happy to add it to the collection
of 250+ misleading nationally-marketed products that dishonestly
exploit the term "honey".  Ditto for any other "nominations"
anyone might care to make.

If anyone is interested, below is a quick review of how current
laws can be used to make examples of at least the half-dozen
products designated as "The Worst of The Worst", as they
contain no honey at all.  (They can be found at
http://bee-quick.com/wall/worst.html )



The US Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDC)
is the law that applies.

FFDC 403(a)(1) states: "A food shall be deemed to
be misbranded its labeling is false or misleading
in any particular..."

FFDC 403(c) continues: "If it is an imitation of
another food, unless its label bears, in type of
uniform size and prominence, the word "imitation"
and, immediately thereafter, the name of the food
imitated."

Clearly, "honey powder", "dried honey", "honey solids",
and other hand-waving attempts to use the word "honey"
to describe something that is not honey at all should be
clearly marked "Imitation Honey". High-fructose corn syrup
is also "imitation honey", and so is sugar, and every other
sweetener that is included in a greater quantity than honey
when the word "Honey" is featured in the name of the product
or on the front of the box.

FFDC 403(f) further defines misbranding to be: "If any word,
statement, or other information required by or under authority
of this Act to appear on the label or labeling is not prominently
placed thereon with such conspicuousness (as compared with other
words, statements, designs, or devices, in the labeling) and in
such terms as to render it likely to be read and understood by the
ordinary individual under customary conditions of purchase and use."

A recent study by the (US) National Honey Board and Fleishman-Hillard
http://bee-quick.com/wall/readthelabel.html
shows that "virtually all consumers when presented with a product with
the word honey in its name, expect the product to not only actually
contain honey, but also use honey as the primary sweetener." This is
credible evidence that can be used to prosecute offending companies,
in that an impartial study shows that consumers are misled by these
specific practices.

It is NOT the consumer's responsibility to get a degree in chemistry
to be able to buy food.  It is the food companies responsibility to
avoid misleading the typical consumer.  If they don't, it is the
responsibility of the government to protect the consumer.

We beekeepers simply haven't gotten angry enough about this.
We need to bite the hand that misleads us.


             jim

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