Strange taste, incorrectly stored, questionable composition: The Stiftung Warentest is supermarket honey to be rather poor grades. Ten of the 36 tested products are considered “defective”. Not a product was rated “very good”. Eleven of the products performed “well”, the Rest “satisfactory” or “sufficient”. Weaknesses were mainly on three relatively expensive varieties.
“Good honey is neither in the variety nor the origin or the price”, stated the Tester in the current issue. Among the test winners in many cheap products. The result of the test at a Glance:
- Under the mixed flower honeys were four “good”: “Maribel Creamy blossom honey soft spreadable” from “Lidl”, “bees honey, creamy prank fest” nectar source, “honey creamy” by Dr. Krieger’s – all at prices of about 4.60 Euro per kilogram. Added to this is the “land of honey gold creamy” by Dreyer’s for about 8.00 euros per kilogram.
- In the case of the varieties of honeys, in addition to a specific taste, the minimum proportion of typical Pollen offer to fell the result in the case of wild flowers, acacia and Linden honeys by grow out of. Two-thirds of the 15 products were “defective”. “Well”, only the “acacia honey” from Rewe Bio and “Fine Linden honey” of D’arbo to the price per kilo of about 16,40 euros, or approximately 12,00 euros.
- Under the forest honeys were a “forest of honey” from Aldi Nord, “gold country forest honey tart-spicy” of Aldi Süd, and “Marlene of aromatic forest honey fine spicy” Lidl “good”. The products costs a good six euros per kilogram.
- Rape honey in comparison better off with two good and satisfactory products. The first two were “rape flower heart arrest” of Breitsamer honey and “German beekeepers honey rapeseed honey is mild and creamy” by Dreyer for around 12,00 Euro per kilogram.
Where were the problems?
Some products are not tasted as they should. In the case of the acacia has been criticized honeys, for example, often artificial taste. Mild and weak flowery he had to taste it, actually, prescribes the German food book. Also, the amount of a certain Pollen was too low to be included in varieties of honeys.
The Tester also criticized the Declaration of the varieties. Inscriptions such as “honey” or “traditional beekeeping” in the case of products manufactured from Honeys from different countries, deceived consumers. Such a honey may not be directly from the beekeepers and sold bottled, it said. About one in five honey had been damaged in the heat. This included enzymes are hardly or not at all active.
What varieties of honey?
You have to meet certain criteria. Color, flavor and texture must meet the specifications. Linden honey, for example, intense need to taste”, medical-minty, menthol-like, slightly bitter and long lasting”, as well as liquid or crystalline. In addition, there are certain guidelines in terms of content composition.
What is the difference between wild flowers – mixed-flower honey?
Forest honey must consist of honeydew collected by bees from honeydew of Deciduous and coniferous trees as well as nectar from forest flowers close win. In the case of mixed-flower honey, there are large differences between the varieties, because it comes from the nectar of different plants. Requirements for the amount of certain Pollen about.
How to ensure the beekeeper that the honey meets the criteria?
“This is a matter of experience,” says Annette Schroeder. She is head of the Department for honey analysis at the national Institute for apiculture of the University of Hohenheim in Baden-Württemberg. A honey can taste different every year, even if the hives have not been changed.
An important role the weather plays. “If, for example, while the fruit, no bees, blossom can fly, then the beekeeper will have no fruit nectar in the Nations.” The fact, however, is: If a honey does not taste like a particular variety, it may not be referred to as such – even if it contains enough typical Pollen.