Food adulteration can have serious ramifications for health. Imagine discovering that the trusted jar of honey in your kitchen — a staple for many households — might be adulterated. Keep your family safe by performing these tests to check the purity of the honey.
Test 1: The water test
Adding a teaspoon of honey to a glass of water helps gauge if the honey is adulterated or pure. Pure honey will sink to the bottom, while adulterated honey version will dissolve in the water.
Test 2: The heat test
When honey is heated in the microwave for 30 seconds, it is supposed to caramelise and release a caramel-like aroma. However, if it froths, bubbles, or burns, it may indicate the presence of added moisture or other adulterants.
Test 3: The texture test
Have you ever opened a jar of honey after a long time and noticed it has crystallised? Don’t fret. That’s normal. In fact, natural honey is one of the only foods that never expires! Crystallisation is due to glucose oxidase, an enzyme that removes moisture from honey.
It may be a cause for concern if your jar of honey remains in a syrup-like consistency for months without any change.
Test 4: The foam test
Pure honey has a low pH and is on the acidic side. Hence, when a few drops of vinegar are added to it, it does not elicit a reaction. But additives in honey can raise the pH, causing it to foam when vinegar is added.
Edited by Khushi Arora
