North Carolina Ag officials want you to know -- if it says "pure honey" then it should not include other additives. Gene Cross with the Agriculture Department says the state's beekeepers have adopted a standard for what makes pure honey.
"The state’s beekeepers will be looking and monitoring first-hand to see what might be adulterated honey or substituted honey. Overall, they’ll make some preliminary checks themselves, they’ll make contact with the individuals that are potentially selling the adulterated product.”
North Carolina is among a handful of states to adopt a standard for defining pure honey. The standard will be enforced by the state's beekeepers association and turn violators over to state officials.
What makes for "pure honey?" The state's beekeepers have adopted a standard -- to make sure you know something labeled as "pure" does not include additives such as corn syrup. Gene Cross with the Agriculture Department says the beekeepers will be doing some checking.
“Once they do some testing on their own and determine that the honey is adulterated, they’re going to write…the beekeepers will write letters to those individuals they find out of compliance. If there’s not voluntary compliance then that particular case or that particular individual would be turned over to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.”
North Carolina is one of a handful of states which are setting a standard for "pure honey".
Beekeepers are keeping watch to make sure you're not getting "funny honey." Gene Cross with the agriculture department says the state's beekeepers have a adopted a standard for what makes honey pure, it has not been a significant problem.
“There may be five percent, or less than five-percent that are problematic overall, but those, again those incidences serve to taint the remainder of the industry overall.”
The state will begin investigating complaints about products that masquerade as "pure honey" while containing additives such as corn syrup. North Carolina is the fourth state since 2009 to adopt a pure honey standard.
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