Beeconomics 101

Okay, I got a question for you. Of all the products you have in your kitchen, which one do you think it's most likely that what it says on the label is on the inside of the package doesn't actually match what you've been sold? The answer? It's honey. I've been talking to a bunch of food fraud experts lately and they say that honey is one of the most frauded foods on the planet. All it takes is to mix in some corn syrup. It's sweet and it's really cheap. It lowers the cost of production. Okay, so you might ask yourself, "Should I really care if my honey isn't pure? " And I don't know the answer to that question. It's cheaper if you can mix in some corn syrup and maybe you like the way it tastes. But there is one group that cares deeply about honey being pure and it's not a group you'd predict. It's the almond growers. Why do the almond growers care so much about pure honey? Well, to find out the answer, you've got to listen to our latest episode of Freakonomics Radio guest hosted by me, Steve Levitt. The title is B Economics. Okay, but before I go, I'll give you one clue. The answer to why the almond growers care so much is actually related to something that happened in the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. All right, I hope I've piqued your interest in this episode or at least made you hungry for a spoonful of pure, unadulterated honey.