Is your honey pure? 10 out of 13 brands fail CSE test

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Honey (Image: Pexels.com)
Honey (Image: Pexels.com)

New Delhi : Honey is one thing which many people prefer to consume instead of sugar for various health aspects, but the latest development shows that most of the honey available in the market are adulterated and have sugar syrup in it.

According to an investigation done by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the sugar syrup is being provided to consumers instead of real honey by majority of known and unknown brands.

Sharing the findings with media, CSE Director-General Sunita Narain said the investigation found that the honeys sold by 10 out of 13 brands in Indian markets are adulterated with sugar syrup. A total 22 samples of the 13 brands were taken for the study.

Meanwhile, the companies have slammed the report and tagged it as a plot to defame the Indian natural honey industry.

Interestingly, two years back, a study by Consumer Voice, which tested 10 top honey brands, too found that all of them suffered from purity and authenticity issues.

The CSE investigations also noted how sugar syrup is being sold in the Indian market and imported from China, also mentioning about the technology used to surpass the standards set by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and, finally, how Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) tests managed to expose the adulteration.

“We make 100 per cent natural honey, which has tested pure on more than 100 standards laid down by FSSAI. It seems to be a plot to defame India’s natural honey industry and manufacturers in a bid to promote processed honey,” said Acharya Balakrishan, MD, Patanjali Ayurved.

A spokesperson for Dabur India said: “The recent reports seem motivated and aimed at maligning our brand. We assure our consumers that Dabur Honey is 100 per cent pure...We also assure our consumers that Dabur does not import any honey/syrup from China and our honey is sourced entirely from Indian beekeepers.”

A statement from Emami said its Zandu adheres to all the protocols and quality standards laid down by the FSSAI. 

(Quotes taken from a report by PTI)