What is Raw Honey?
You might've come across the term "raw honey," but ever wondered what it truly means? Even the National Honey Board recognizes there is no universal definition for it. However, Utah buzzed ahead with their HB148, shining some light on the subject. According to them, for honey to sport the 'raw' badge, it must be:
- Exactly as it is in the beehive or as gathered by extraction, settling, or straining.
- Minimally processed.
- Not pasteurized.
Now, you may wonder, why does raw and unfiltered matter? Because it's the closest you can get to nature's sweetness without any interference. Raw, unfiltered honey retains all the wholesome goodness – nutrients, flavors, and the magical touch of bees. At The Honey Jar, we cherish this pure essence, making sure you experience honey just as nature intended.
What is Unfiltered Honey?
Unfiltered honey is honey that hasn't been subjected to heat and pressure to remove beeswax, pollen, and air bubbles.
Why would someone filter honey?
Presentation: Honey is filtered using heat and pressure for several reasons. Some of which are sketchier than others. For decades honey was filtered and heated to reduce crystallization. This was primarily because of demands on the food distribution system in a pre-internet era when honey was bottled and shipped to warehouses. It would sit until a grocery store ordered the honey and put it on their shelves for the customers to purchase and use. Crystallized honey is more difficult to use and less desirable to the consumers of yesteryear.
Fraud: Today honey is also filtered as a way to deceive regulators and consumers. Unscrupulous companies would import cheap honey from China, India, Brazil and Argentina and filter the honey to remove any pollen that would indicate the origin of the honey and sell it to unsuspecting consumers. This cheap honey can be full of toxins and heavy metals because of the environmental contaminants where it is produced. Sometimes these importers will also adulterate or mix the honey with corn syrup to further increase their profits.
In 2021-2022 the FDA tested only 144 samples of honey being imported into the United States. 14 of these were found to be adulterated in some way. Considering 70% of the honey consumed in the United States is imported and only 144 samples were collected during the entire 2021-2022 I would have little faith that imported honey is safe for consumption.
How do I know if my honey is Raw and Unfiltered?
Honestly it is very difficult to know for sure. "Raw and Unfiltered" has become a marketing term that is on virtually every label and honey website I look at. But there is A LOT of gray area when it comes to defining these terms. (This beesource forum shows a discussion about raw honey and heating to rewarm and liquify.)
Some beekeepers think that anything that is heated at all should not be considered raw honey.
Others would say that anything that is not pasteurized would be raw. But if honey is pasteurized at 145 °F that means that anything heated up to 144 degrees would be considered raw to these beekeepers. These beekeepers use this logic to justify the damage they could do to their honey in the name of speed, convenience, and increased profits.
We are in a third camp. Like many of our beekeeping friends we believe that there is a balance to be achieved that will maintain the quality of the honey and also make it convenient and attractive to consumers. We use a specially designed warming box to warm the honey back to a liquid state over many days. This ensures the honey is not damaged by excessive heat which can alter its taste and chemical composition. It is our firmly head belief that we have a responsibility to provide the same quality, genuine honey to our customers as we would our own families.
The only way to really tell if honey is raw and unfiltered is to ask the supplier about their actual operations and processes and determine whether you can actually trust them.
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Additional Reading:
What are the health benefits of Raw Honey?
Where can I buy Raw Honey?
How long does Raw Honey Last?
How To Decrstallize Raw Honey?
What is Raw Honey Good For?
How to Store Raw Honey?
Does Raw Honey Help Allergies?
What is the Best Raw Honey?
