Honey Holding Confirms 100% Honey Origin Testing by Pollen Analysis
Baytown, Texas (PRWEB) March 24, 2014 -- Honey Holding d/b/a Honey Solutions (Honey Holding), an industrial honey processor, confirmed today the testing of 100% of its nearly 20 million pounds of annual foreign honey purchases with mellisopalynology or pollen analysis. The pollen analysis provided under contract through the independent laboratory Quality Services International GmbH (QSI) of Bremen, Germany, will validate the country of origin of all of the honey purchased by Honey Holding.
Mellisopalynology is the study of pollen contained in honey and, in particular, the pollen’s origin. Honeybees collect nectar from flowers to make honey. When the bee visits the flower, naturally some pollen rubs off on the bee, and some pollen falls into the nectar collected by the bee. From the study of that pollen, the exact flower from which that honey came can be identified, as well as the specific country of origin.
Knowing the origin of honey is legally required for food safety and regulatory compliance reasons in the U.S. Knowledge of honey origin is significant to US Customs because different countries are accessed different duty rates on honey. It is essential that each foreign origin honey pays the U.S. the correct amount of duty. And most importantly, the American consumer has the right to know where his or her honey is coming from.
Honey Holding stated, “Pollen testing to identify honey origin is an essential component of our foreign origin honey compliance program. While we require that our honey suppliers provide us with certificates of origin, original shipping papers, copies of U.S. Custom forms filed and other documents, QSI’s independent analysis identifying country of origin through pollen analysis will provide us with undeniable validation of our suppliers’ representations to us. Based on this testing of 100% of our foreign source honey, our customers will now have more extensive and now unquestionable documentation as to where their honey is coming from when they buy from Honey Holding. After all, they have a right to know.”
About Quality Services International GmbH
Quality Services International GmbH of Bremen, Germany (QSI) is the leading institution for the technical analysis of honey with over 50 years of experience. QSI handles on behalf of its European and global customers over 25,000 samples and performing 80,000 analyses annually.
About Honey Holding I, Ltd.
Honey Holding I, Ltd. (Honey Holding) – Founded in 1940 as Hignite Packing Company, Honey Holding of Baytown, Texas is one of the largest processors of industrial honey in the United States. Beginning in early 2011 and into 2013, Honey Holding provided extensive assistance to Homeland Security’s in its efforts to eliminate the importation of fraudulently sourced foreign honey. Honey Holding’s active cooperation and involvement included, but was not limited to, allowing an undercover agent to assume the role of Honey Holding’s Director of Procurement.
Gerry Murphy, Honey Holding I, Ltd, 281-576-1700, [email protected]
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