VARIETAL HONEY AUTHENTICITY
“The demand for premium Varietal Honeys necessitates authentication mechanisms to safeguard consumer interests.”
— Annalise Watkins, 2024 4-H Varietal Honey Essay, Second Place Winner
WHY AUTHENTICATION MATTERS?
Premium honey has value because of its identity.
If a jar is sold as Orange Blossom, Tupelo, Sourwood, or another varietal, consumers deserve meaningful information about what that designation represents.
Honey authentication can involve laboratory methods that investigate botanical and chemical characteristics.
WE BELIEVE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VERIFY THE STORY.
FROM APIARY TO LABORATORY
Our vision is to establish a process in which varietal honey is:
Sourced → Documented → Tested → Authenticated → Presented to the Consumer
Laboratory analysis may include pollen examination and other analytical methods appropriate to the honey being evaluated.
Pollen analysis—melissopalynology—can provide information about botanical material represented in honey.
YOUR QR CODE
Our planned authentication system is designed to connect the jar to its supporting documentation.
A QR code on the label can direct the customer to the corresponding online authentication information.
Instead of simply saying:
“Trust us.”
We want to say:
“Look for yourself.”
