How to recognise genuine honey (and spot a fake)

Label, texture and taste give you pointers when choosing a honey. They are not enough to prove that it is genuine: no spoon trick, water test or look at the colour can replace a suitable analysis and traceability. Here is what to check, and the conclusions you should avoid drawing from it.

Note the product name, its declared origin and the batch details. A more detailed geographical indication helps you ask the right questions; on its own, it proves neither the origin nor the absence of fraud. Our Lab analyses and traceability page sets out the documents available and what they cover.

The words “raw”, “unheated” and “unpasteurised” should be read in the light of what the producer states. This article does not give them a universal threshold of 35 °C. To find out how a particular honey was handled, ask for its preparation conditions and the documents that back them up.

Dip a spoon, lift it out and watch the honey run off: it is a way of discovering a texture. How runny a honey is depends, among other things, on temperature and on its composition. A thick ribbon does not prove that there is no syrup, and a runny honey is not a fake for that reason alone.

An amber, ivory or mahogany colour helps to describe a product. Colour alone cannot identify its floral origin, how it was handled or whether it is genuine. Rose Aromiel combines acacia honey with rosehip extract, the fruit of the dog rose. A creation with a creamy texture and floral, fruity notes.

A blend of honeys from several origins is not, in itself, fraud. You need to tell apart a blend of honeys, the stated origin and the addition of undeclared ingredients. A single-flower or geographical claim is judged on relevant evidence, without condemning a product just because the word “blend” appears on it.

Crystallisation is a natural change linked to a honey's composition and to the way it is stored. Some honeys stay liquid for a long time. Neither the presence nor the absence of crystals proves, on its own, fraud or the absence of heating. Our article on crystallisation explains the difference.

Technical parameters: HMF, moisture, heat

Frauds and mix-ups to tell apart

Added syrups: detecting adulteration calls for suitable methods. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre stresses that a simple test is not enough and that investigations must also look at traceability.

How the honey was handled: the effects of heating or filtering are assessed with the preparation details and the relevant analyses. They cannot be deduced from the look of the jar alone.

A preparation that is not plain honey: check its name and its ingredients. A product made with other ingredients should not be mistaken for pure honey.

Blends of honeys: bringing several origins together is not proof of adulteration. The question is whether the product and its origin are described correctly.

Origin claims: a floral or geographical name must be backed by suitable evidence. No single result is a universal guarantee for every batch.

Gift box · three honeys

The Ritual Box From 23,30 € / jar

Jujubier Honey from Yemen, White Honey from Kyrgyzstan and Black Seed Honey from Egypt: three 250 g jars to compare their profiles. The available documents can be viewed separately, according to the sample each one describes.

Discover the gift box

Going further

• How to recognise a genuine black seed honey
• Why honey crystallises
• Jujubier Honey from Yemen vs Manuka
• Why rare honey costs €30 to €1,000 per kg