The New Zealand company pleaded guilty in a lawsuit on April 18 for allegedly adding artificial chemicals to produce its premium manuka honey, which is a costly export for the country.
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority has sued Evergreen Life Ltd, an Auckland-based company whose products were removed from shelves in 2016 by the Department of Primary Industry, the New Zealand Department of Public Oversight Services, claiming they may contain “unapproved substances.”
Evergreen was accused of adding synthetic chemicals to increase the level of antibacterial agents, which allowed it to sell honey at a higher price.
The demand for honey, which is believed to be beneficial for health and cosmetics, is growing all over the world, especially for manuka honey, collected from plant flowers grown exclusively in New Zealand and Australia, which makes manuka honey much more expensive. The cost of a small jar of such honey can reach several hundred dollars.
Manuka is also believed to have better antibacterial properties than regular honey, partly because it contains omega acid DHA, as well as an antacid known as MGO.
According to the New Zealand Government Agency for Trade and Entrepreneurship, New Zealand ranks 14th in the world in terms of honey exports and second in terms of its export value.
