Honey, nature’s gold, is known to have many beneficial uses, however, consumers are prone to being deceived into buying inauthentic honey. An expert shares scientific explorations of ways to identify the source and authenticity of honey.
In this episode, we delve into the intriguing world of bees and honey with Dr Janais Delport, a melissopalynologist from the University of Cape Town (UCT). As a recent PhD graduate, Delport has specialised in the science of pollen analysis within honey, aiming to authenticate the unique fynbos and succulent Karoo honey of South Africa.
“[There is a] prevalence of fraudulent products and adulterated honeys on the market where people are selling stuff as locally produced honey or organic products and stuff when it’s actually just like plain syrup,” she says.
Delport discusses her research, the methods used to map the botanical origins of honey, and the importance of preserving this unique honey amidst the challenges of climate change and agricultural sustainability. Her work not only aids in identifying genuine honey but also contributes to broader agricultural and environmental conservation efforts.
Delport’s honey research
Delport’s thesis studied honey produced in the Western Cape, primarily within the greater Cape floristic region.
“I basically wanted to see what the types of honeys are that are produced in the area, the diversity of pollen that’s trapped in it, because that’s my specialty as well.
“So I study the pollen and spores in honey. Basically, the goal is to continue this sort of research so that we can eventually develop benchmarks that can be used to verify and differentiate our Cape honeys from those products that are produced elsewhere,” she says.
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Importance of authenticity
Delport shares that pollen varies in appearance depending on the plant species. She also discusses how they can tell, to a certain extent, which plant the pollen comes from and how pollen from a daisy looks very different to pollen from a euphorbia, canola, or eucalyptus.
When it comes to the geographical origin, she looks at the entire pollen composition, not just target taxa on the slide. She explains that she does this to compare the pollen composition with the vegetation around the hives, which she can infer from maps.
“So if you find, for example, manuka pollen in the honey, then it’s probably from New Zealand because that is the strongest association with it.
“If you find protea pollen in the honey, it is quite likely to be a fynbos honey. So there’s that sort of association with the different vegetation regions across the world that we can make with the pollen itself as well,” she says.
In this episode, Delport also discusses:
- The high diversity of plants in the Cape region complicates pollen identification;
- The need for more foundational palynological research and identification tools;
- Benefits of accurate identification and more.
Want to know more? Dive deeper into the episode and gain insights from the award-winning Farmer’s Inside Track, officially recognised as Africa and the world’s best podcast at the 2024 Digital Media Awards presented by WAN-IFRA, the global press organisation.
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