• FAKE: At least 100,000 tonnes of the total 126,000 tonnes of honey sold in Mexico is an adulterated and misbranded product that fails to meet the basic standard for honey produced by bees from the nectar of flowers, according to Mexico’s Honey Regulatory Council.
• LOSSES: With losses estimated at USD 578 million, the Council claims that most honey sold in Mexico is made from sugarcane and corn syrup. According to the Mexican industry, fake honey also can be made from beet, rice or potato syrup and is often imported from China, India, and Vietnam.
• REGION: Like in other regions of the world, honey fraud is suspected to be a pervasive problem across North America. Testing commissioned by the advocacy website, Food Safety News, estimated that 76% of honey sold in the US in 2011 was fake honey.
• EXPORTS: Despite a recent downturn, Mexico remains the world’s fifth exporter of honey, with exports valued at USD 120 million in 2018, according to the UN’s International Trade Center (INTRACEN). The top producers are China, New Zealand, Argentina, and Germany.
