The first honey without bees

Scientists managed to produce the first honey without bees in the world, in an attempt to eliminate the dense honey bee farms and ensure a future supply of the product with declining bee numbers, according to the London newspaper (Metro).
Foditive, a Dutch-based component manufacturer, is set to begin large-scale trials of the product in the new year. The company uses a biotechnological process to insert the honey’s DNA into yeast, which is then fermented to replicate the process that takes place inside the bee’s stomach. The honey produced looks and tastes like regular honey, with the same health benefits.
It is worth noting that honey bees contribute directly to local food production and affect both crops and the wider environment. The economic benefit of pollination to crop production in the UK is £600m a year, according to the Department of Rural Affairs, but bees are cold-blooded and the rising temperatures due to global warming could negatively affect both bees and their food sources.
For its part, Foditive is trying to secure a future supply of honey through its biotechnology, as bee numbers continue to decline.
The company hopes to eliminate “intensive honeybee farms” because common beekeeping management practices can be harmful to bees, increasing the risk of diseases that can lead to a collapse in their numbers.
For his part, the founder and CEO of “Fooditiv” Moayad Abu Shakhdim said: “Our goal is to provide the first 100 percent bee-free honey in the world without making concessions in terms of taste, quality or price.”