Another five jars of honey. Another trip to the laboratory.
And another interesting set of results.
This latest batch was tested by Hill Laboratories, using LC-MS/MS analysis for glyphosate, AMPA and glufosinate.
This time, glyphosate was quantified in four of the five samples.
The results ranged from <0.002 mg/kg (not detected) to 0.0167 mg/kg (16.7 parts per billion).
None exceeded New Zealand’s default maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.1 mg/kg.
So what did we find?
Batch #9 Test Results
| Honey Sample | Glyphosate Level |
|---|---|
| Manawa Mānuka MG100+ Honey 500g Batch BB2603M Best before: March 2031 | <0.002 mg/kg (<2 ppb) – Not detected |
| Airborne Classic Bush Honey Batch 262121 Best before: 19 May 2030 | 0.0161 mg/kg (16.1 ppb) |
| Airborne Creamed Clover Batch 261111 Best before: 9 March 2030 | 0.0088 mg/kg (8.8 ppb) |
| Woolworths Liquid Honey Batch 26EG-120-1* Best before: 22 June 2030 | 0.0167 mg/kg (16.7 ppb) |
| Hantz Creamy Clover Honey Batch 010526 Best before: Not provided | 0.0092 mg/kg (9.2 ppb) |
*The digital batch printing on the Woolworths container was difficult to read.
AMPA and glufosinate were also analysed. Both were reported at <0.010 mg/kg in all five samples.
Four Out of Five
The Manawa Mānuka MG100+ honey was the only sample in this batch in which glyphosate was not detected at the laboratory’s reporting limit of 0.002 mg/kg.
Glyphosate was quantified in the other four samples.
These aren’t high concentrations, and we don’t want to suggest otherwise.
The highest result, Woolworths Liquid Honey at 0.0167 mg/kg, is less than one-fifth of New Zealand’s default MRL of 0.1 mg/kg.
But our testing isn’t about finding products that exceed an MRL.
We started independently testing food because we wanted to know a much simpler thing:
Is glyphosate turning up in the food New Zealanders are buying?
In four of these five jars, the answer was yes.
What Does That Tell Us?
Not where the glyphosate came from.
A laboratory result can tell us the measured concentration of glyphosate in the sample submitted for analysis. It cannot tell us when, where or how that residue entered the honey.
And five jars of honey cannot tell us what is present in every jar produced by these brands, or in New Zealand honey generally.
They are five products, from five particular batches, tested at one point in time.
That’s an important limitation.
But add them to the other honeys we have tested, and they contribute another set of real-world measurements to the picture we are building.
That is why we keep testing.
Not to assume what is in our food.
To measure it.
Testing Costs & Transparency
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Manawa Mānuka MG100+ Honey | $14.80 |
| Airborne Classic Bush Honey | $9.90 |
| Airborne Creamed Clover | $9.90 |
| Woolworths Liquid Honey | $7.39 |
| Hantz Creamy Clover Honey | $10.60 |
| Hill Laboratories testing | $521.64 |
| Courier costs | $13.30 |
| Total Cost | $587.53 |
One advantage of honey testing is cost. Glyphosate analysis of honey typically costs around $104 per sample, compared with approximately $400 per sample for many more complex food products.
When we first launched our independent testing programme, a number of supporters chose to make regular monthly donations specifically to fund honey testing. Combined with the lower cost of analysis, their ongoing support has enabled us to continue testing retail honey over successive batches and build a growing independent dataset of glyphosate residues in New Zealand honey.
Thank you to everyone whose donations make this testing possible.
Image Source & Attribution
The honey product photographs featured in this image were taken by No More Glyphosate NZ and digitally edited and arranged in Canva.
Licensed stock photography and additional graphic elements were used to create the background and final composition.
