Wamkelekile, Welkom
Dr Janaïs Delport on a mission to protect SA’s honey from fraud
13 August 2026 | Story Myolisi Gophe. Photo Boikhutso Ntsoko. Voice Cwenga Koyana. Read time 5 min.
From a small town of Tzaneen in Limpopo to the forefront of cutting-edge honey research at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Dr Janaïs Delport is helping to safeguard one of South Africa’s sweetest natural treasures.
The postdoctoral researcher is leading work to identify the unique characteristics of authentic honey produced in the Greater Cape Floristic Region, research that could strengthen protection against counterfeit products while elevating the global reputation of South African honey.
For Dr Delport, whose fascination with biology began in childhood, the journey into honey science has been anything but conventional.
Growing up in Tzaneen in Limpopo, she was the first person in her immediate family to get a bachelor’s degree. After completing undergraduate and honours degrees at Rhodes University in Makhanda, she moved to Cape Town where her master’s research evolved into a PhD at UCT.
“I’ve always been curious about the natural world,” she said. “Biology was the subject that just clicked for me.”
Her academic path has taken her from studying insects and fish to becoming one of South Africa’s emerging experts in honey authenticity.
“I’ve found my passion. I love honey, and the more I work with beekeepers and study honey, the more fascinated I become.”
“The Greater Cape Floristic Region grants us a wonderful opportunity to produce honey that is truly indigenous to South Africa.”
Delport’s research focuses on honey produced in the Greater Cape Floristic Region, home to two of South Africa’s globally recognised biodiversity hotspots: the fynbos biome and the Succulent Karoo biome.
Because many of the region’s flowering plants are found nowhere else on Earth, the nectar collected by bees produces exceptionally distinctive honey.
“Every honey is unique because it reflects the plants the bees forage from,” Delport explained. “The Greater Cape Floristic Region grants us a wonderful opportunity to produce honey that is truly indigenous to South Africa.”
Her research aims to identify the chemical, physical and pollen characteristics that distinguish authentic Cape honey from imitations, creating a scientific profile that can verify their origin and purity.
Fighting one of the world’s most counterfeited foods
Honey fraud has become a growing global problem. According to Delport, it is regarded as the third most counterfeited food in the world.
The most common form of fraud involves diluting genuine honey with inexpensive sugar syrups or misrepresenting where the honey was produced.
“Honey has a very specific chemical composition,” she said. “When syrups are added, or when products are falsely labelled, consumers are misled and honest beekeepers suffer.”
South Africa imports honey because local production cannot satisfy demand. However, imported honey is sometimes falsely marketed as local, undermining consumer trust and disadvantaging domestic producers.
Delport’s work seeks to change that by developing more robust testing methods that can verify authenticity, even when pollen has been removed through processing.
During her PhD, she analysed pollen found in honey to determine its botanical origin. Her current postdoctoral research expands that work by examining the honey’s chemical and physical properties, creating additional markers that are much harder to manipulate.
“We want to make honey testing in South Africa more robust against the known ways that honey is being falsified,” she said.
The research has significant implications for South Africa’s beekeeping industry.
By establishing scientific standards for indigenous honey varieties, beekeepers will be able to demonstrate that their products are genuine and of high quality.
“It offers protection against fake products, which threaten the livelihoods of beekeepers,” Delport said.
“Our goal is to make information about honey and authenticity testing more accessible to all stakeholders in the industry, especially consumers.”
Many beekeepers, she noted, have generations of knowledge about local flowering plants and seasonal nectar flows. Her research complements that expertise by providing scientific evidence that can support product certification and build consumer confidence.
Consumers also stand to benefit through greater transparency.
“Our research group, Melimetric, is open to testing honey that consumers are concerned about,” she said. “Our goal is to make information about honey and authenticity testing more accessible to all stakeholders in the industry – especially consumers.”
More than honey
Delport believes supporting beekeepers extends far beyond protecting a single food product.
Honeybees are essential pollinators for crops, including macadamias, lychees, canola and sunflowers, making beekeeping a cornerstone of South Africa’s agricultural productivity and food security.
“The stronger our beekeeping industry is, the more resilient our agricultural system becomes,” she said.
She hopes her research will eventually contribute to improved national testing standards, stronger legislation against food fraud and greater international recognition of South Africa’s distinctive honey.
Despite tackling a serious global issue, Delport admits the simplest moments in her work still bring the greatest excitement.
Examining pollen grains under a microscope remains her favourite part of the job.
“They all look different,” she laughed. “Some have spikes, some look like little golf balls. I take photos of them and send them to my friends because I think they’re beautiful. They think I need another hobby.”
Looking ahead, Delport hopes to continue her research while eventually establishing a specialised honey-testing facility that offers authenticity testing directly to industry.
She also encourages consumers to support reputable local beekeepers whenever possible and to explore the remarkable diversity of South African honey.
“Try different honeys,” she said. “Eucalyptus, citrus, African beechwood, featherhead, aloe, fynbos – people are often surprised by how different they all taste. South Africa produces extraordinary honey. We just need to recognise it, protect it and celebrate it.”
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