"Adulterated honey " was the subject of discussion in Australia more than 100 years ago . The Lone Hand magazine of July 1, 1908 ran a letter from "Wondah " of Sydney University on the subject . It referred to a previous letter from Messrs. Slade and Jackson " correcting a previous article in the publication, which seems to have raised the issue .
It was a pity , Wondah wrote, grocers Slade and Jackson did not verify their facts before rushing to correct the magazine , in which they said they had never heard of honey being adulterated with glucose , its " character " so different.
As a matter of fact , an analysis of honey showed it was comprised of two glucoses -the ordinary glucose , or grape sugar ; the other, chemically similar , levulose, or fructose . In addition, there were much smaller amounts of essential oils and a waxy substance similar to the wax in the comb.
It continued: "Adulterated honey, as sold in Sydney today , is made by acting on potato starch with sulphuric acid , by which means the starch is converted into glucose . This glucose is then mixed with various substances to make up the amount , and a little honey is added to flavour it . "
Slade and Jackson had quoted the price of glucose -22 pounds a ton - as proof that that it would not pay to make adulterated honey when honey cost 16-23 pounds a ton . They overlooked the fact that one ton of glucose "is mixed" with various cheap substances to make several tons of "cheap adulterated honey".
