15 Billion Won Worth of '100% Honey' Mixed with 500-Won Sugar Water Sold
Mixing High-Fructose Corn Syrup to Increase Quantity from 56t to 227t for Sale
Illegally Manufactured Products Labeled as '100% Honey' for Sale
Fake honey products sold by Mr. Lee, CEO of A Agricultural Products. Photo by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
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A food company was caught selling liquid fructose mixed with honey used in soft drinks while falsely claiming it was "100% honey." The company’s CEO was sent to the prosecution under detention.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 20th that Lee, the CEO of A Agricultural Products located in Gongju, Chungnam, was arrested and sent to the prosecution on charges of violating the Food Sanitation Act for manufacturing and selling honey products mixed with liquid fructose (isomerized sugar) that should not be added to honey. They also added that they requested the competent authorities to take administrative action against A Agricultural Products.
Currently, the Food Sanitation Act strictly prohibits mixing additives such as pollen, royal jelly, sugars, and sweeteners into honey for sale.
According to the investigation, Lee is suspected of mixing low-cost liquid fructose into honey purchased from beekeepers and others from January 2019 to last April, and selling it to 26 distribution companies and one food manufacturing and processing company for a total of 1.45 billion KRW.
The purchase cost of honey is 6,000 to 9,000 KRW per kilogram (kg). Liquid fructose costs about 500 to 600 KRW per kg.
It was found that Lee increased the amount from 56 tons of honey by mixing liquid fructose to 227 tons, more than four times the original volume. Lee labeled and sold the honey mixed with liquid fructose as if it were a natural honey product, claiming it was "100% honey."
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The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "We will strengthen investigations into illegal acts that deceive the public or threaten public health," and urged, "If you witness any violations related to food safety or recognize products suspected to be substandard food, please report them through the substandard food reporting hotline."
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