At the Innovation Fair, which took place during the Helsinki Agricultural Machinery Fair in autumn 2024, one of the featured projects was the Estonian initiative “Authentic Honey Meets DNA Technology.” Kairi Raime, Head of the Food Metagenomics Lab and representative of the research company Celvia CC AS (Competence Centre on Health Technologies), gave an insightful interview about the project, its development and the challenges faced by beekeepers.
Beekeepers were struggling with issues related to honey adulteration, which significantly impacted their ability to sell genuine products. Recognizing this issue, Celvia CC, with its expertise in DNA-based methods, joined forces with Muhe Mesi company to find a solution. Together, they launched the project in July 2020 to develop DNA-based methods to identify the biological composition, origin, and authenticity of honey. The methodology behind the honey DNA test has been crafted with the support of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the “Estonian Rural Development Plan 2014-2020.”
The project concluded in 2023 with the creation of a ready-to-use service, the honey DNA metagenomic analysis. Information about the service, including sample reports and details on how beekeepers, distributors, and others can benefit from the analysis, is available on the mda-test.com website. The MDA test can be ordered by a private person, a self-employed person, a nonprofit association, or a company, offering a reliable way to verify honey’s biological composition, origin, and authenticity.
The innovation of their methods lies in analyzing the ancient DNA found in honey. Honey contains DNA from a variety of sources, including plants, insects, animals, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Rather than focusing on any specific organisms, they analyze all the DNA present in the honey. From a single honey sample, they can obtain 10 to 20 million DNA sequences. These sequences are then analyzed to create a comprehensive honey DNA profile, which identifies all species that contributed DNA to the honey, as well as the relative proportions of each species.
Kairi explained that honey DNA profile is like a fingerprint- unique to every honey sample. It details the environment where the honey, nectar, or pollen was collected, the insects that visited the flowers, and the overall conditions of the hive and honey production. This profile provides valuable insights into the origins and authenticity of the honey.
Today, a significant challenge in the honey market is fake honey, which is sold at lower prices and competes with genuine honey, making it difficult for beekeepers to sell their authentic products. According to Kairi, recent reports indicate that up to 80% of honey in the market may be fake, particularly imported honey. The aim of this project is to help eliminate fake honey from the market by providing a tool for distributors and beekeepers. This tool can also detect DNA traces from honeybee-related pathogens and parasites in honey, as well as details about the overall health of the honey sample. Distributors and beekeepers can use this information to showcase the botanical composition of their honey on their websites.
The Estonian company has selected 20 different honeybee-related pathogens and parasites to monitor, as advised by beekeepers. These include bacteria causing significant honeybee diseases, such as American and European foulbrood, and microsporidia. It also feasible to monitor if invasive species, like the small hive beetle, are present in honey samples from countries where they are not currently established. This information is vital for early detection and prevention of potential threats to local beekeeping.
Overall, their DNA technology methods provide valuable insights into honey composition and quality, allowing beekeepers to take preventive measures and maintain the integrity of their products.
Are you a beekeeper looking to protect your honey’s authenticity? Or a distributor seeking to enhance your product offerings? Don’t wait until it’s too late! Visit mda-test.com today to explore how honey DNA metagenomic analysis can empower you to keep honey pure and stand out in a crowded market.
Join the movement toward transparency and quality in the honey industry!
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