Recent investigations have raised alarms about honey adulteration, revealing that nearly half of the honey entering the EU from 2021 to 2022 was flagged as potentially adulterated, a stark rise from just 14% between 2015 and 2017.

The EU, the world's second-largest honey producer after China, is also the second-largest importer, sourcing significant quantities from Ukraine, China, and Argentina.

Matthias Kopetzky, a beekeeper based in Vienna, has voiced his frustrations regarding the competitive pressures from lower-priced imported honey.

Corinna Wallinger, head of sales at Sinsoma, has highlighted the urgent need for technological advancements to combat evolving counterfeit methods in the honey market.

Wallinger also pointed out the challenges of standardizing detection methods for honey adulteration, which is essential for keeping up with fraudulent practices.

In response to the growing issue of honey fraud, Brussels has formed an expert group tasked with standardizing detection methods by 2028, aiming to enhance traceability for producers and importers.

Austria's health and food safety agency has begun employing DNA testing to identify honey fraud, with the European supermarket chain SPAR also implementing tests for its honey products.

Sinsoma, co-founded by Wallinger in 2018, offers a basic DNA test for beekeepers priced at €94 ($103), which includes a QR code for consumers to trace the plant species in their honey.

Beekeepers are optimistic that new labeling rules will enhance consumer awareness and bolster support for local honey producers.

Sinsoma's innovative DNA testing can identify unique DNA profiles in honey, although experts caution that this method may not detect all forms of adulteration and requires thorough validation for reliability.

The introduction of a new DNA test is seen as a pivotal part of the EU's initiative to standardize detection methods for honey fraud.

Experts acknowledge that while standardization of testing methods is necessary, it will take time as counterfeiters continuously adapt their techniques.