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So, you saw a discount sale in one of the leading supermarket selling jars of honey at mouth-watering prices. You were tempted to buy a few jars as your kids love their toast with a generous amount of honey spread.
But deep inside you were skeptical. You were not sure whether the honey is real or fake. You don’t know how to detect fake honey.
If this is how you feel every time you see a jar of honey, then you’re not alone.
In this article, you will learn some tricks that can help you recognize fake honey:
1. Always read the label first. If you see something like added glucose or high fructose corn syrup written on the label, it is, of course, fake honey.
2. Taste the honey before you buy. You should always taste the honey before you buy it. You can request a sample or buy a mini jar of honey. If the honey has flowery or herbal taste, it is real honey. If it tastes like sugar with just a trace of “honey-like” flavor, it is fake honey.
3. Do a spread test. Put a small drop of your honey on your thumbnail and keep it horizontal and steady. If the honey spreads it is fake. If it stays in one place it is pure honey.
4. Water test. Drop a spoon of honey in a glass of water. If the honey dissolves in water it is fake. If the honey doesn’t dissolve and instead sink to the bottom of the glass it is pure honey.
5. Vinegar test. Add a few drops of vinegar into a mixture of water and honey. If it foams up, the honey has been adulterated with plaster to give it a viscous texture.
6. Crystallization test. Pure honey will crystallize over time or when it is kept in the fridge. If it doesn’t crystallize it means that it has been ultra-filtered and all traces of pollen have been removed. If there is no pollen in honey it is difficult to say whether it is pure or fake.
7. Iodine test. Add a few drops of iodine to a glass of water and then add some honey. If the honey turns blue, it has been mixed with cornstarch and is not real honey.
8. Fire test. Put a drop of honey on the end of a matchstick and light it. If it ignites, the honey is pure.
If you apply any one or a combination of the above tricks you will know whether the honey you bought is real or fake.
