PSA Honey | Imamother

amother

Aquamarine

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 6:52 am

The study you cite exists precisely to weed out the practice of cutting honey with corn syrup. And imported honeys are tested.

In the US, the law (stricter than FDA requirements, see the USDA) requires honey to be labeled as a honey blend if it's not 100 percent honey. That applies to imports as well. If you're really worried, stay away from Chinese and Indian honey.

I wonder if this scaremongering is laying the groundwork for introducing a new brand of "mehadrin" honey.

amother

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 7:40 am

Scaremongering? Wow that’s a first don’t worry I’m nowhere near to starting a honey business that you so lightly implied I’m just concerned for my own health for real.

I didn’t get the impression that the fda is actively working on weeding out the bad honey from the study I’m glad you got that impression.. I’m just letting ppl know. Might not be true of all companies but it is still going on bees are fed with corn syrup alot of them are. Ppl buying big bottles of honey for cheap shd be more aware of what they’re eating

mommyhood

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 7:44 am

I have heard about adding corn syrup before but it doesn’t bother me personally certainly not for the addictive factor. I got honey from someone who has bees in their backyard and I know there’s no corn syrup and it’s even more addictive than the store bought because it’s just so yummy!

amother

Valerian

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 8:06 am

your standard honey in your local grocery is fake. it tastes fake. I never knew what they put in there but try raw honey and you'll never be able to go back.
When we go away for meals on sukkos we have the (fake) honey and I feel like im eating candy
Theres for sure corn syrup or something similar in there

amother

Daffodil

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 8:28 am

amother OP wrote:

The FDA does try to regulate but the fraud is happening in China. Once honey changes more than one hand, it's hard to regulate and identify its source.

amother

Hibiscus

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 8:37 am

amother OP wrote:

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-proper-labeling-honey-and-honey-products

Note the words “guidance” “advised” “recommended”
Not enforced

Did you read the guidance? The guidance and recommendations are for HOW to label the honey based on regulations that REQUIRE honey to be labelled according to what is in it.

amother

Hibiscus

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 8:38 am

amother Valerian wrote:

Sorry, not in the US. There are varieties of honey that taste better, but it's not because the other ones have corn syrup.

amother

Sand

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 8:42 am

And if it does have HFCS who really cares (unless you have such a severe corn allergy that even with the processing you are still allergic-which would be very individual as most allergies are due to the protein molecules which would be filtered out).

Is HFCS really the evil thing you seem to think it is? Does the body really metabolize it that differently than if you eat a peach? Do you really believe it is more addictive than any other sweetener? People say the same thing about sugar, Stevia, and NutraSweet/Equal. We are hardwired to crave sweets and carbohydrates. It is a evolutionary survival trait (Or do we not believe in evolution at all?) Do you eat honey or processed white table sugar? Do you really not eat any food sweetened with HFCS? Is it the GMO’s usually found in the corn used to produce HFCS?

Why is this a PSA?
Sometimes a little knowledge is dangerous.

amother

cornflower

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 9:03 am

amother Hibiscus wrote:

In the US, that it inaccurate. The FDA updated the labelling requirements for honey in 2014, and if there is anything other than honey in it, it must be identified on the label, and cannot just be called honey.

This is not true.
My daughter is on a very strict diet for crohns (scd) and because of that I need to verify every single food item she eats, that it has no unlisted ingredients or processing aides, which according to US laws dont need to be listed if its under a certain percent, or if it is considered a "processing aide" and not an ingredient.
I had an idea that I could call a hashgacha company and they could tell me which honey is ok for her, because I had heard that some have corn syrup.
So I called the OU and they told me that due to legal contracts they signed, theyre unable to disclose if a certain company has corn syrup in the honey. BUT he confirmed that YES there are absolutely certain companies in the US that they are aware of that include corn syrup in the honey, and the label STILL says 100% PURE HONEY.
Then I thought to ask him if I can rely on honey that is OU-P, for pesachdik, and he said no, because if the corn syrup is under a certain ammount, then it is considered "batel" halachicly and is not a problem for kitniyos-but it is still a problem for my daughter's health.
This phone call was less than a year ago.
If it helps, I did call these undividual compa ies and was assured there is nothing else in their honey: Liebers, gefen, glicks and haddar.

But yeah, it is well known in the SCD diet world, and I guess anyone with a severe corn allergy, that even "100% pure honey" can have corn syrup in it.

amother

Gold

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 9:07 am

amother Valerian wrote:

That's because it's raw. I use both raw & the cheaper stuff. When the raw honey sits in a really hot cabinet you end up with a top layer of regular honey.

Simple1

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 9:16 am

If the corn syrup is batul halachicly, then that's too miniscule for me to be concerned about. Allergies of course is different. But for general health I would not want to be eating that much honey even if it's 100% pure because sugar is sugar

Last edited by Simple1 on Sun, Oct 02 2022, 9:19 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

cornflower

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 9:18 am

Simple1 wrote:

If the corn syrup is batul halachicly, then that's to miniscule for me to be concerned about. Allergies of course is different. But for general health I would not want to be eating that much honey even if it's 100% pure because sugar is sugar

I dont think its always batul halachicly. Only the ones that make it through pesachdik certification

amother

Daisy

Sun, Oct 02 2022, 9:26 am

amother cornflower wrote:

Yes, this is true! I am also on the SCD diet and it well known. Thank you for posting this.