These days, there's a wide choice of honeys on offer, and some of you may be wondering: " Which honey should I choose in the supermarket? ". That's just what we're talking about today...!

Which honey to choose in supermarkets? First prices?

Some supermarket first prices have been analyzed under the microscope... A biologist has analyzed the pollen grains contained in them to find out where they come from. The result: of the fifteen or so brands analyzed, one in three contained Chinese honey.

The trick manufacturers use to avoid mentioning the country of origin is to mix honeys from different countries. The biologist was also able to uncover a fairly common fraud involving the addition of sugar syrup. As a result, some of these products are actually sugar.

In China, to offer ever-lower prices, they don't hesitate to add sugar syrup. This method makes it possible to increase the quantity of the product, while lowering the price. This method is called adulteration.

Still not sure which honey to choose in the supermarket?

Did you know that it is possible to make synthetic honey? All it has in common with the real thing is the name. All you have to do is mix sugar with glucose, fructose, maltose and isomaltose.

Grossomodo, it's all sugar! But, to give the impression of a real beehive product, they add gluconic acid (normally produced by bees), one or two enzymes, water and, of course, a few grains of pollen to make it real!

This mixture is then heated over a low heat, giving it the appearance and taste of honey. But it won't have the benefits, properties or virtues of honey. This process, which consists of cutting the bee nectar with a syrup, is forbidden.

Which honey should I choose in supermarkets, without being fooled?

To detect adulteration, it is necessary to use a technology called magnetic and nuclear resonance. It's a bit like MRI in the medical field, but without these machines, it's impossible to detect fake honey.

Indeed, you wouldn't be able to spot a fake visually, but a fine palate can tell the difference. On the other hand, you'll never find a quality product at a low price, because below a certain production rate, it's impossible for it to be quality.

That said, supermarket controls are being stepped up to detect fraud and fakes. The safest thing to do is to buy this sweet nectar from beekeepers or from retailers known for their reliability.

The label is the best indicator!

If you want to know which honey to buy in a supermarket, just read the label! Here are a few hints:

• To begin with, choose a product that comes from a single country, not a blend of several honeys from different destinations.
• Next, make sure it is monofloral, i.e. the bees have mainly gathered from the same flower.
• It must also be rot-proof, which means it won'tgo mouldy. If you see on the label that it should be stored in the refrigerator, it's not a good sign!
• And finally, if it's cheap, it's either a fake honey or of mediocre quality.

A little test: spread your ambrosia on absorbent paper and see if it spreads. If it does, it means it's damp and has been cut, or it's a fake.