Honey testing survey for Rosh Hashanah Ministry of Health
As every year, the Food Service, in cooperation with the Honey Council, conducted a honey testing operation for Rosh Hashanah. The ministry performed a sample test of 47 honey samples sampled from the marketing channels throughout the country. The samples were tested in the chemistry, health and environment laboratory at the Israeli Standards Institute and at the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany. Consumer indices of quality and authenticity (originality) were tested.
It should be noted that higher than standard levels of sucrose (sugar) together with lower than standard levels of the total amount of sugars: glucose and fructose, may indicate that the bees are being fed sugar contrary to normality.
Also, excessive heating or prolonged storage in unsuitable conditions may cause browning which is manifested both in an increase in the HMF (hydroxy-methyl-furfural) content and in a decrease in the diastase coefficient.
In the following products deviations from the Israeli standard for honey (TI 373) were found in both laboratories:
Below are the details of the products according to the marking on the packaging:
Product 1 • Paradise honey
- Label marking: "Paradise, unheated, validity: 30.4.23, pure bee honey
- The Paradise family farm, Harmesh, zip code 4489500".
- Sampled at the "Rodina" store, Derech Maccabim 12, Rishon Lezion.
An abnormality was found in the level of sugars. The maximum level according to the Israeli standard of sucrose is 5%, while in the laboratory of the Israeli Standards Institute a level of 6% was found, and in the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany a level of 11.5% was found. Also, the minimum level of the sugars fructose and glucose according to the Israeli standard is 65% , when in the laboratory of the Israeli Standards Institute a level of 58% was found, and in the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany a level of 54% was found.
In addition, an abnormality was found in the diastase enzyme level. The minimum level according to the Israeli standard is 8 Schade units, where a level of 5 Schade units was found in the Israeli Standards Institute laboratory, and a level of 4.8 Schade units was found in the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany.
The indicators indicate the possibility of feeding the bees with sugar contrary to normality. The Food Service in the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Honey Council has started investigating the matter.
Product 2 • "Pure honey from wild flowers"
- Label marking: "Pure honey from wild flowers"
- Produced by: Ein Harod Moheed, zip code 1896500
- Declared content: 1 kg
- Best used before: 1/6/23
- The product was sampled at Shufersal Deal, Koresh 5, Afula.
The maximum level of HMF according to the Israeli standard for honey is 80 mg/kg, while the Israeli Standards Institute found a level of 266 mg/kg, and the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany found a level of 146.5 mg/kg .
Product 3 • "Flavors, wild flower honey"
- Label marking: "flavors, wild flower honey"
- Net weight 1 kg
- G.M. Taam Ha'aretz Ltd. Rabbi Jarofi 8 Rosh Latz, lot 082
- Preferably before 23/03/23
- Sampled at the Tiv Taam Eliyahu Navoi 18 Be'er Sheva store.
Deviations from the standard were found in the product in a quality parameter: HMF levels. The maximum level of HMF according to the Israeli standard for honey is 80 mg/kg, while the Israeli Standards Institute found a level of 246 mg/kg and the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany found a level of 130.5 mg/kg.
Product 4 • "Nectar, organic honey, import, pure organic honey"
- Label marking: "Nectar, organic honey, import, pure organic honey,
- Country of origin: Argentina
- Packed and marketed by Nectar, Terra-Mater Nectar Ltd.
The product was sampled at the Zamora Organic store - Yad Harutz 5, Jerusalem. The product was found to deviate from the standard in a quality parameter: HMF level. The maximum level of HMF according to the Israeli standard for honey is 80 mg/kg, while the Israeli Standards Institute found a level of 174 mg/kg and the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany found a level of 85.7 mg/kg.
מוצר 5 • "100% pure natural bee honey"
- Label marking: "100% pure natural bee honey"
- Net weight: 500 grams
- Kosher for Passover
- Produced and packaged by the Barco apiary, Pioneers of Industry 14, Kiryat Malachi
- Last date for use – 04/03/23
It will be sampled in "Greini Ora" - Moshav Ora. The minimum level of the sugars fructose and glucose according to the Israeli standard is 65%, while the Israeli Standards Institute laboratory found a level of 58%, and the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany found a level of 58.2%.
An abnormality was also found in the diastase enzyme level. The minimum level according to the Israeli standard is 8 Schade units, where a level of 5 Schade units was found in the Israeli Standards Institute laboratory, and a level of 4.5 Schade units was found in the INTERTEK laboratory in Germany.
Since it is difficult to distinguish between honey that meets the standard and honey that does not, it is recommended to purchase honey from licensed food businesses.
Also, the 'Honey Council' is requested to encourage the purchase of Israeli honey produced in the country, by buying directly from the beekeepers in their hives, whose packaging is stamped with the quality mark - "Quality Honey Made in Israel" or an apiary stamp. The Food Service and the Honey Council continue to check the conformity of honey products to the requirements of the standard.
147769
No honey can withstand allergies! Sore throat .
Your test is a drop in the ocean, what about Yad Mordechai and all the other honey sold in Israel?
Yad Mordechai sells honey in quantities on pallets in supermarkets, all the beekeepers in the world can't produce, who among you has a bribe and doesn't want to write about it?
I remind you that the same standards institute confirmed the correctness of the police speed detectors - and it turns out that everything is a bluff.
What about honey from Yad Mordechai and Emek Hefer
According to the test, there is no real honey, why didn't they continue with the testing of other companies, so that we know which honey is real and buy only that.
It also demonstrates that there is a gap between the laboratories in Israel and the laboratory in Germany, because the question arises as to how reliable the test is and if so, who to believe
I am more concerned about the fact that the laboratory in Germany found findings that are completely different from those of our Standards Institute, than about the fact that the findings are unusual.
You will know who to believe...
It's funny that they write on honey "it is better to use for Japanese" a real pure thing never spoils! He just turns into sugar granules!
Corrected directly from people who breed bees, of course check that they have permission for this, it's the tastiest and healthiest thing there is!!!
My country's honey from Kfar Mellal I think is the best, you will be in good hands
Since the tests showed that the tested substance is not honey, the Honey Council will in any case immediately return to the producers all the money collected from them for honey production. Let them at least stand behind the jokes they made..
There are only 2 companies that are approved by the Ministry of Health
Yad Mordechai and Emek Hefer
Pure honey is the best
It is highly recommended!
I highly recommend Amit honey, 100% pure honey (I checked in depth and I was also at the beekeeper Amit)
048451830
The honey survey is very, very interesting. A wonderful evening