Blue Honey
Bee keepers in northeastern France were at first puzzled why their bees started to produce blue and green honey. They finally figured out that the bees were picking up dyes from a local M&M plant. The colored honey looks pretty cool, but the bee keepers have decided that it's unsellable. nbcnews.com
Comments
I used to work with a friend who is a beekeeper. You would never eat another drop of honey if you saw how honey is processed from hive to jar. Wax, dust, bee bodies, etc., all end up in the settling vat before it is drawn off for bottling. I'm not counting the mass produced, pasteurized stuff which is rubbish.
As for the honey being unsellable, I surmise that it's a matter of appearance and not taste. Which is surprising in a culture where a cheese with an odor that would knock a buzzard off a three day old carcass is described as "smelling like the feet of angels" and devoured with gusto.
As for the honey being unsellable, I surmise that it's a matter of appearance and not taste. Which is surprising in a culture where a cheese with an odor that would knock a buzzard off a three day old carcass is described as "smelling like the feet of angels" and devoured with gusto.
Posted by KDP on 10/08/12 at 10:50 AM
In Sicily I bought some bright green honey: the bees get at the pistachio flowers!
Posted by Paul on 10/08/12 at 10:59 AM
@KDP: When you start with bee spit what is left to worry about?
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 10/08/12 at 11:42 AM
I thought it was bee vomit. :sick:
Posted by Tyrusguy on 10/08/12 at 11:52 AM
I'd buy it. Might make some interesting mead.
Posted by jtolleridge on 10/08/12 at 12:52 PM
We have had green and purple ketchup (catsup) so why not blue honey ?
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 10/08/12 at 02:20 PM
Hmmm. I love the French.
The issue seems to be that artificial dyes have somehow gotten into the air or on the flowers. This is what has made the honey "impure" (that's my best guess)
Yes, if "nature" makes stinky cheese, then it's a blessing.
If US cultural imperialism / artificial colors / strange man-made chemicals all result in multi colored honey, then it's BAD.
The issue seems to be that artificial dyes have somehow gotten into the air or on the flowers. This is what has made the honey "impure" (that's my best guess)
Yes, if "nature" makes stinky cheese, then it's a blessing.
If US cultural imperialism / artificial colors / strange man-made chemicals all result in multi colored honey, then it's BAD.
Posted by girlgeniusNYC on 10/08/12 at 04:04 PM
I thought it was the dyes used to make M&M candy shells. If so it is obviously safe for consumption so why not sell the honey as a novelty.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 10/08/12 at 08:00 PM
The report I read said the source of the contamination was a biogas plant a couple of miles away (as the bee flies) from the hives.
At the biogas plant they use rejected batches of m&m's (and other waste) to make fuel. The m&m's were stored in large open bins, Add bees and you have WEIRD HONEY!!
The ingredients though FDA (or the EU equivalent) approved were WASTE so I would NOT want to eat it!
:coolsmile:
At the biogas plant they use rejected batches of m&m's (and other waste) to make fuel. The m&m's were stored in large open bins, Add bees and you have WEIRD HONEY!!
The ingredients though FDA (or the EU equivalent) approved were WASTE so I would NOT want to eat it!
:coolsmile:
Posted by Tyrusguy on 10/08/12 at 08:41 PM
Oh I see, thanks for the clarification Ty.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 10/08/12 at 09:23 PM
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Category: Food