A New Zealand honey company is calling for more rigorous quality controls on honey exports.
Canterbury-based producer and exporter, Airborne Honey, says recent accusations by the Hong Kong Consumer Council that some New Zealand honey products have had sugar added to them illegitimately should be a wake-up call for exporters.
It says the increasing focus on food safety in Asia should make New Zealand honey companies meticulous in their quality control, including testing for authenticity and heat damage.
Airborne Honey sales and marketing manager John Smart says testing method used by officials in Hong Kong can confuse natural nectar sugars with sugars from corn syrup or cane sugar.
New Zealand honey exporter Comvita has expressed its doubts about the accuracy of the test the Hong Kong Consumer Council used which identified its honey as having sugar added.
