All you need to know about the honey scandal...
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00:00So, this is our investigation into the business of adulteration of honey.
00:30We were alerted that beekeepers in North India, their business had collapsed, they were in
00:38deep distress.
00:39We really couldn't understand what was happening.
00:43The sale of honey is booming because of the threat of COVID-19, household after household,
00:49we are using honey because it is an immunity booster.
00:53So, what was happening?
01:53The samples sent by CNN Foods proved to be a goldmine of information, especially when
02:04it came to bypassing the Indian standards.
02:12CAC spiked six samples of raw and processed honey with this fake honey slash sugary syrups
02:28from China and India.
02:30These tests confirmed to us that honey can be adulterated with sugar syrups and will
02:35go undetected under the FSSAI testing protocols.
02:40Now we know that anybody who wants to adulterate can mix at least 50% sugar into their honey
02:47and this will go undetected under the Indian testing guidelines.
02:51How much does it cost to manufacture honey?
02:57Economics works in the favor of the adulterant.
03:01It's 60 rupees a kg versus 120 rupees which is the basic cost of a honey producer to manufacture
03:10the honey.
03:11It's easier to buy syrup in bulk than work with beekeepers and their supply chain.
03:31If the government of India was to mandate NMR, we are sure that there will be another
03:48adulterant in the market.
03:49This time it will pass even the NMR test.
03:52That is why we need to understand the impact on our health and we need to do something
03:57much more than just standard setting.
04:01Honey has antimicrobial, it has anti-inflammatory properties.
04:07Honey is not sugar.
04:09Honey is honey.
04:10Bees manufacture honey and bring to us nature's goodness which is not sugar.
04:16It is about enzymes, amino acids, phenolic acids.
04:21It has basically got good properties which help to build immunity.