At
the beginning of the year when I decided to take the plunge into my apiary
adventure, the fascination with honeybees and the multitude of questions I
received from a variety of individuals surprised and delighted me. I was
frequently bombarded with questions and advice. Now, except for the basic “How
are your bees doing?”, I receive fewer inquiries. However, the one most
recently asked question seems to demand some answers. Friends and others want
to know, “What is the difference between raw honey, pure honey and natural honey?”
Obviously,
being a new beekeeper with little food science background, I am far from being
an expert in the field. But thanks to Google and my research skills, I can
answer the question with a fair amount of accuracy.
In
the world of food labeling, things can get a bit confusing and it is no
different in the honey labeling department. At this point, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) only has recommendations, rather than iron clad
definitions, for honey labeling (as of 2015). Wading through the semantics,
pure and natural, can befuddle the most ardent language lover. Based upon FDA
recommendations, the following explanations may help to clear some
misunderstandings when you purchase your next jar of golden goodness. (see
references below)
Natural
- According to food science, the term natural is a food product that comes
straight from the earth and directly to the dinner table without human
intervention. However, there are very few foods that follow this path without
some form of processing. Processed honey can legally be and is labeled as “natural”
because the FDA has not established a formal definition of the word in terms of
honey production. According to its website, “the agency has not objected to the
use of the term (natural) if the food does not contain added color, artificial
flavors, or synthetic substances.” Natural honey can contain sugar and corn
syrup.
Pure
- The purest definition of this word can also be a sticky wicket. As it relates
to honey, a jar of the pure stuff is also a processed honey but no additional
ingredients such as sugar, artificial and natural flavorings or corn syrup has
been added. Processed honey has been pasteurized by heating it up to
approximately 160 degrees. This process can eliminate some of the goodness
honey offers in it raw state.
Raw
- Raw honey is a non-processed food containing no additional ingredients, is
removed directly from the hive, put into a centrifuge to take honey out of the
comb, strained to eliminate wax debris and then put directly into the jar. It
goes straight from mother nature and into your hands (or mouth) and this is
honey in its purest and most natural form. Many claim raw honey offers a
variety of medicinal properties but more research is needed to verify these
claims. However, it is difficult to believe that a dab of raw honey in your
oatmeal or morning tea would not have any stress reducing effects.
As
for my tribe of honeybees and their production of honey, I will have to wait
until next year to fully enjoy the sweet golden treasure that will be a gift to
me, my family and friends. My hive is entering its fourth month of development
and thus a new hive. As a result, all the healthy and considerable honey they
have produced thus far goes toward surviving their first Maine winter. I did,
however, get the opportunity to remove a small amount of capped honey the bees
built in the bee feeder. That one teaspoon of liquid gold directly from the
hive melted in my mouth with a gentle sweetness I’ve never experienced. It was warm,
delicious, and raw - just as I had imagined.
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