Honey is seen as attractive by the consumer because it is natural, pure, wholesome. Some honeys, perhaps all, have antimicrobial properties. Honey has been used in the treatment of various illnesses and diseases since time immemorial and has a role in treating infections such as Helicobacter pylori and in wound management. Thus the continued use of honey depends on consumers liking the taste and on it having the image of a natural, wholesome product. Consumer perception is thus of paramount importance.
Consumer education is therefore a high priority.
Some consumers may not realize how many different sorts of honey there are with very different tastes. They may have rejected all honey because they did not like the taste of one. The quality of a particular honey must be consistent. Specialty honeys must be recognizable to the consumer who has developed a taste for them. A new study presented today at the annual Experimental Biology meeting indicates that using honey as a carbohydrate source during exercise significantly improved performance and power during endurance cycling trials.