According to Zulkifli Mustafa, a senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), up to 90% of honey available in Malaysia is not genuine.
“The biggest challenge of the honey industry now is the presence of artificial honey, which reaches 90% in the market,” honey expert Mustafa was quoted.
The fake product includes stingless bee honey. Mustafa’s research emphasizes the nutritional value of honey produced by stingless bees, noting its potential health benefits. This variety of bees employs biting as a means of defense rather than stinging.
Following these revelations, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has announced plans to investigate the allegations that a significant portion of honey products sold in the country are counterfeit/
Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, the Minister for Domestic Trade and Cost of Living,has directed the ministry’s enforcement division to examine these claims thoroughly.
This news emerges amidst a broader context of food adulteration concerns. The European Commission’s recent study found that nearly half of the honey samples tested were suspected to be adulterated with inexpensive sugar syrups, as reported by The Guardian in March 2023.