10 of 13 Major Honey Brands Failed a Purity Test What It Means

September 1, 2026

In December 2020, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) tested 22 honey samples from 13 major Indian brands including several household names and found that 10 of the 13 brands failed advanced international purity testing, with 77% of samples showing signs of sugar-syrup adulteration sophisticated enough to pass India's own standard lab tests. Only three brands, Saffola, Markfed Sohna, and Nature's Nectar, passed every test applied.

What the 2020 honey investigation actually found

The scale of the testing

CSE selected 13 top and smaller honey brands sold in India and tested 22 samples in total first at an Indian laboratory (the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food, at the National Dairy Development Board) for standard Indian-market sugar adulteration markers, and then sent the same samples to a specialist laboratory in Germany for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) testing, a more advanced method capable of detecting a wider range of adulterants.

The results

Almost all the major brands passed the basic Indian-standard tests for C3 and C4 sugar adulteration. But when the same samples underwent NMR testing in Germany, the picture changed sharply: honey from several leading brands failed, and overall, 77% of the 22 samples tested showed signs of sugar-syrup adulteration. Only 5 of the 22 samples representing 3 of the 13 brands (Saffola, Markfed Sohna, and one sample from Nature's Nectar) passed every test applied. CSE's finding was that adulteration had become sophisticated enough, using syrups specifically engineered to dodge India's existing standard tests, that meeting Indian purity standards no longer reliably meant a honey was pure.

How does honey adulteration evade standard tests?

C3 and C4 sugar syrups

Two broad categories of syrup are typically used to dilute honey: C4 sugars, derived from plants like corn and sugarcane, and C3 sugars, derived from rice or beetroot. India's traditional testing standards were originally built to catch C4 sugar adulteration, which pushed some adulteration toward C3-based and other more complex syrups engineered specifically to pass those tests undetected.

Why NMR testing is different

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analyses honey's full chemical fingerprint rather than checking for a small number of specific known adulterant markers, which makes it far harder for an engineered syrup to evade. CSE's investigators noted that Chinese fructose-syrup manufacturers had reportedly developed products specifically marketed as able to pass Indian tests, and traced a domestic syrup manufacturer in Jaspur, Uttarakhand supplying similar products underlining how deliberate and organised this specific form of food fraud had become.

How to buy honey you can trust today

What changed since 2020

Following the investigation and FSSAI's engagement with CSE, NMR-style testing requirements were tightened, and brand practices around purity claims have shifted (some brands adjusted their marketing language on lab-testing claims in response). That said, the underlying incentive to adulterate a high-value, easy-to-dilute product like honey hasn't disappeared, which is why ongoing buyer awareness still matters years later.

What to look for practically

Raw, single-source honey (like wild forest honey) that hasn't been heat-pasteurised for shelf clarity is structurally harder to adulterate invisibly at industrial scale, and it will naturally crystallise into a grainier texture over time a sign of authenticity, not spoilage. Beyond that, prioritise brands that are specific about sourcing (region, harvest type) rather than relying only on "pure" or "natural" as standalone claims.

2020 CSE honey investigation quick summary

Finding	Detail
Brands tested	13 major and smaller Indian honey brands, 22 samples total
Brands that passed all tests	3 of 13 Saffola, Markfed Sohna, and Nature's Nectar (partially)
Overall adulteration rate	77% of the 22 samples showed signs of sugar-syrup adulteration
Key test that exposed adulteration	NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) testing at a German laboratory
Regulatory response	FSSAI made stricter, NMR-aligned testing standards mandatory from August 2020

In simple terms

In simple terms: a 2020 investigation found that 10 of 13 major Indian honey brands failed advance d purity testing, even though most had passed India's own standard tests at the time because the adulteration used was specifically engineered to dodge those older tests. Raw, single-source honey that naturally crystallises over time is generally a safer bet than heavily processed, perfectly clear commercial blends, though no single check replaces genuine lab testing.

How to check honey purity before you buy

A simple, repeatable routine for evaluating any honey brand.

1. Check whether it's labelled raw, unheated, or single-source. This won't guarantee purity, but heat-pasteurised commercial blends are generally easier to adulterate invisibly than raw, minimally processed honey.

2. Don't fear natural crystallisation. Genuine raw honey often turns grainy or partly solid over weeks to months, especially in cooler weather this is a natural process, not spoilage, and is actually a reasonable positive sign.

3. Be cautious of honey priced far below the market average. Sugar syrup is dramatically cheaper than real honey; an unusually low price for a "honey" product is one of the more reliable red flags available to an ordinary shopper.

4. Look for sourcing specificity. Brands that mention a specific region, forest source, or harvest season are giving you more to verify than a generic "100% pure honey" label.

5. Store it properly. Keep honey in a cool, dry place; genuine honey has a very long shelf life (commonly 24 months or more) and doesn't spoil in the way fresh food does.

Common mistakes to avoid

● Assuming a big, well-known brand name is automatically safer several major brands failed the 2020 purity investigation.

● Treating natural crystallisation as a sign the honey has "gone bad" and throwing it away.

● Buying the cheapest honey available without questioning why it's priced so far below typical raw honey rates.

● Assuming passing India's basic standard tests is the same as passing more advanced international purity testing.

● Believing all honey should look perfectly clear and liquid indefinitely that's actually more typical of heavily processed blends.

● Not checking whether a honey label gives any sourcing detail beyond "pure" or "natural."

How Prakreti fits into your everyday routine

Prakreti's Honey is a multi-flora, naturally filtered honey positioned as an everyday sweetener, while Prakreti's Raw Forest Honey is wild-harvested from forest bee colonies rather than farmed apiaries, and is raw and unheated meaning it retains natural enzymes and pollen that heat-pasteurisation typically removes, and will naturally crystallise over time as described in this guide. Both product pages describe sourcing and processing specifics rather than relying on "pure" as a standalone claim, which is exactly the kind of transparency this article recommends checking for in any honey brand.

● Honey — https://prakreti.com/products/honey (Multi-flora, naturally filtered, 500ml/1L/5L)

● Raw Forest Honey — https://prakreti.com/products/raw-forest-honey (Wild-harvested, raw and unheated, 1kg)

When to speak to a healthcare professional

Honey is a common home remedy in India, but a few situations call for professional guidance rather than general information:

● Never give honey, raw or processed, to infants under 12 months due to the risk of infant botulism

● If you have diabetes or a condition requiring close monitoring of sugar intake

● If you suspect an allergic reaction to a specific honey product (pollen sensitivity in raw honey is possible)

● If you're using honey as part of a specific home remedy for a persistent cough, wound, or symptom that isn't improving

FAQs

1. Which honey brands failed the 2020 purity test in India?

The Centre for Science and Environment's investigation found that honey samples from several major brands including Dabur, Patanjali, Baidyanath, Zandu, Hitkari, and Apis Himalaya failed the NMR purity test, out of 13 brands tested overall. Only Saffola, Markfed Sohna, and Nature's Nectar (one of two samples) passed every test.

2. What is the NMR test for honey?

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an advanced laboratory method that analyses honey's full chemical composition, making it harder for engineered sugar syrups to evade compared to India's older, narrower standard tests. It's considered the current gold standard for detecting sophisticated honey adulteration.

3. Is all commercial honey in India adulterated?

No, 3 of the 13 brands tested in the 2020 CSE investigation passed every purity test, so genuine, unadulterated commercial honey is available. The finding was that adulteration was more widespread and more sophisticated than expected, not universal.

4. Why does my honey crystallise, and is that a bad sign?

Natural crystallisation happens because raw honey contains varying ratios of glucose and fructose, and glucose naturally forms crystals over time, especially in cooler temperatures. It's a normal process for genuine, minimally processed honey and is generally a reassuring sign rather than a bad one.

5. How can I test honey purity at home?

There's no fully reliable home test, but checking for natural crystallisation over time, avoiding unusually cheap options, and preferring raw/unheated, clearly sourced honey are reasonable practical filters. For certainty, only laboratory testing (like NMR) can confirm purity.

6. Is raw forest honey safer from adulteration than regular honey?

Raw, single-source honey is generally harder to adulterate invisibly at industrial scale than blended, heat-processed commercial honey, since it involves fewer processing and blending steps where syrup could be introduced though no honey type is automatically immune, which is why checking sourcing and pricing still matters.