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Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:01:16 -0400 |
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John Edwards wrote:
>
> The general opinion where I used to work was "If anybody ever runs
> systematic analyses of honey (USA or worldwide), the beekeepers are in
> big trouble".
>
I thought the EU and Japan do just that and the US to a lesser degree
when honey enters the country. The commercial folk can comment on US
packers and if they do any testing. I recognize it is not 100% tested,
since that is cost prohibitive, so some will always get by.
We have had many posts on high honey HMF and the EU (and Japan) blocking
shipments as well as Chinese honey entering the US contaminated with
antibiotics. So testing is going on.
There was a test of organic vs non-organic honey ( it is in the
archives) and there was no difference between them as far as any
additional ingredients. But that holds up in most of the tests made by
independent organizations like Consumer's Union. You get the good and
the bad in both groups. Often, not because of ethics but procedures
employed. They know what happens to a company when contamination is
discovered. Spinach, anyone?
We tend to think the worst of our fellow man but not of ourselves. Most,
granted not all, commercial beekeepers think they are doing the right
thing, but some ethical beekeepers may be wrong through ignorance or
neglect. They are not in business to go out of business. They want to
sell a good product and make a profit. Both go hand in hand. They (and
we) may use things that are approved by the government and later find
they are bad, but there is no ethical lack there.
Even those in government think they are doing the right thing, but they
do not have to worry about the outcome since they do not go out of
business. Just raise taxes to cover any losses.
Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine
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