Honey bees use enzymes that they produce in theirbodies to convert the sugars from the nectar of flowers into a concentrated,high-energy food that we know as honey. Along with sugars, honey containsenzymes and pollen from flowers growing in the area. That pollen can be used toidentify the source of the honey. A recent report concerning the removal ofpollen from honey brought considerable public discussion about the deliberateremoval of pollen from honey by unscrupulous importers of foreign honey. The reportby investigative journalist Andrew Schneider appeared in Food Safety News at http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/.Schneider reported that independent testing of samples of honey found thatthree fourths of the honey on grocery store shelves could not even be calledhoney because pollen, a component of natural honey, had been removed. To hidethe country of origin, some honey is highly processed by ultrafiltration toremove all pollen.
Responding to the discussion brought about bySchneider’s report, Dan Charles writes in NPR’s food blog, http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/11/25/142659547/relax-folks-it-really-is-honey-after-all?ps=cprs,in defense of honey on the grocery store shelf. Many in the public understandthe deceptive practices of a few, but a number of citizens are confused aboutwhat real honey truly is. Many seek out a local beekeeper and purchase honeyproduced in their area. However, at almost every farmers market or honey salesevent that we attend, we have individuals ask for sugar-free honey. Hearingthat there is no such thing as a sugar-free honey, one lady exclaimed that sheknew that there was because she had seen it on the grocery shelf. I assured herthat the product did not come from a bee hive. Adulterated products aresometimes labeled to appear to be honey. Some contain high fructose cornsweetener and are labeled as “honey sauce.” Many processed food items boast onthe label to contain honey while it is only a minor component. For informationabout honey, see the National Honey Board’s web site, http://www.honey.com/nhb/about-honey/.Enjoy real honey.

–Richard

Źródło: Ultrafiltration of Honey