There is no shortage of honey in the market, and no shortage of doubts about it either. You often hear about home tests for pure honey. Here is how far each one can be trusted.
Home tests you cannot rely on
- The water test: pure honey is said to sink in a glass of water while fake honey dissolves. Thick sugar syrup sinks too.
- The thumb test: a drop that does not spread shows thickness, not purity.
- The flame test: whether a honey-soaked wick burns depends on the water in the honey, not on adulteration.
- The ant test: ants like honey and sugar alike.
Crystallised does not mean fake
Many people think honey that sets has sugar in it. It is the other way round: the natural glucose in honey crystallises in the cold. Mustard flower honey turns white and buttery within weeks. Stand the jar in lukewarm water for a while and it turns liquid again.
So how can you tell?
- Know the source: which flower, which area, when it was collected. A good seller can tell you.
- Taste and smell: colour, aroma and taste change from flower to flower. If every honey tastes the same, be suspicious.
- Lab tests: only a laboratory can be sure, by measuring moisture, the sugar profile and markers such as HMF.
- Buy from people you trust: sellers who get their honey straight from beekeepers or honey hunters.
Remember: babies under one year old should not be given any honey.
