Do you have the problem of identifying pure honey? No need to worry. There are tests you can carry out to find out if the pure honey in your possession is indeed pure or not.
The tests are as given by a honey expert, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Bee Conservation Project, Mr. Tunde Fabunmi.
Fabunmi, a bee farmer, made the revelation against the backdrop of the challenges experienced by many over how to identify pure honey sourced from bees, in view of the countless fake ones said to be in circulation.
In an exclusive interview with FrontPage, Fabunmi declared that much as it might be impossible to determine pure honey by its taste, colour or thickness, there were some ways through which the authenticity of the product could be identified.
First, according to him, could be through the use of the freezer; the second, through the use of match stick while the third, through the use of water.
Fabunmi stated that pure honey, when kept in the freezer for a period of time would not congeal the way water, drinks and other materials would.
He said although the honey might become thicker than it was, it would not congeal.
The second step is through the use of match stick.
He said a match stick dipped into pure honey and struck would still bring out fire.
The same, he said, would not happen if the honey was not pure.
The third test, Fabunmi explained, was through the use of water.
According to him, if one put a certain amount of honey into a cup of water, it would settle at the bottom of the cup and not mix with it unless steer.
His words: “The only thing fixed about honey is the name –Honey. Every other thing about honey varies. The colour of honey varies; honey has limitless number of colours; thickness of honey varies; taste of honey varies; medicinal power of honey varies. So, given that varying attributes of honey, it is difficult to say this is honey, this is not honey. But I still tell people that if you suspect the authenticity of it, there are basic tests you can carry out.
“Take out of that honey, some quantity, may be 100ml, put it in a plastic, cover it and put it in a freezer. If it is bee honey, it will be thicker than what it was before you put it, but it will never congeal like water becoming ice block. If it does not congeal or turn into ice block, then, it is honey. There is nothing that can defy the power of freezer – pepper, meat, water, they turn to ice block. But honey, no freeze can make honey turn block. But it will be thicker. It may be very slow in coming out of the container, but it will never congeal. The only way it can congeal is, may be you leave it there for like six months or thereabout. A good freezer, you put water in it and in two hours, it has become ice block. That won’t happen to honey.
“Another basic test, is to put a match stick in honey. Remove it and strike it. If it is honey, the stick will produce fire.
“Another test is, fill a cup with water and put some quantity of honey. The honey will go down and settle at the bottom of the cup if it is the real one. It will never mix with the water even till the next day if it is not stirred. These are the basic tests. You can’t by merely looking at it say this is honey, this is not honey. You have to carry out the test.”
Fabunmi also spoke about the medicinal power of honey and other related issues.
*Full interview with Fabunmi will be published in FrontPage on Monday. In it, the highly experienced bee farmer talks extensively on bee farming, honey harvesting, the use of honey for healing and most importantly how different ailments, including diabetes, can be cured with food. The interview is a must read. Only in FrontPage on Monday. Make it a date.
