Disclaimer on Home Testing Methods for Honey Purity

At Marico River Honey Bee Co we are committed to providing our customers with pure, high-quality honey. Our premisses has been verified as suitable for honey processing, preparation and packaging by the Department of Environmental Health and we adhere to all the quality and packaging standards as per the Department of Agriculture, Regulation 835.

 

We are aware of various home-based methods circulating online that claim to test the purity of honey, such as the water test, flame test, thumb test, crystallization test and even a so called bread test. However, scientific research has demonstrated that these methods are unreliable and can produce misleading results. For instance:

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• Water Test: This test suggests that pure honey will not dissolve in water, while adulterated honey will. In reality, pure honey is naturally water-soluble and will always dissolve in water, making this test ineffective.

• Flame Test: This method proposes that dipping a matchstick into honey and lighting it can determine purity, with pure honey allowing the match to ignite. However, the moisture content in honey varies naturally, affecting the outcome of this test and rendering it unreliable. 

• Thumb Test: This approach claims that placing a drop of honey on your thumb can reveal its purity, with pure honey staying intact and adulterated honey spreading. In truth, the viscosity of honey varies depending on its floral source and other factors, making this test inconsistent. 

• Crystallization Test: Some believe that pure honey does not crystallize, while adulterated honey does. In fact, crystallization is a natural process that occurs in pure honey over time and is not an indicator of adulteration. 

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Given the unreliability of these home tests, we do not accept claims regarding the purity of our honey based on such methods. Consequently, we cannot offer refunds or replacements for products assessed using these unverified techniques. For accurate determination of honey purity, advanced laboratory analyses, such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and DNA metabarcoding, are required. 

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Third-Party Laboratory Testing Requirement

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If a customer has doubts about the quality or authenticity of our honey, they may opt to have it tested at their own expense using a certified laboratory equipped for advanced honey analysis. Acceptable testing methods include:

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• Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR)

• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

• DNA Metabarcoding

• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

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If the laboratory results confirm that the honey is adulterated or does not meet purity standards, we will issue a full refund upon submission of the official test report from the accredited lab. However, we will not be responsible for any testing costs incurred by the customer.

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We assure our customers that Marico River Honey Bee Co. adheres to stringent quality assurance protocols and industry standards to deliver pure and authentic honey. If you have any concerns or questions about our products, please contact our customer service team, and we will be happy to assist you.

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Read the NHB Test Myths: