Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Here is why I gave this item a 1 star rating. When I purchased this product I read the label and it stated in large letters "RAW HONEY". I didn't notice the smaller print underneath the RAW HONEY that stated "U.S. Grade A". My dad told me that they "stuck me"! He said that U.S. Grade A honey was heated to 160 degrees F. I was upset and I did a little research. I went to the internet and typed in U.S. Grade A honey and one of the entries was to the US Dept. of Agriculture who has oversight on the Grade ratings.The bottom line is that there are 4 grades: A, B, C, and D (everything else that can't meet Grade C). The grading has three items it looks at in the scoring. Flavor and Aroma, Absence of Defects and Clarity. Each category is given a number. If a honey product gets a 90-100 it's a Grade A product. 80-89 is a Grade B. 70-79 is a Grade C. Everything below 70 is a Grade D. This would mean that raw unprocessed honey (like I wanted) is a Grade D. Hey, that works for me! Under the USDA Clarity testing the honey may be tested for crystallization. In that testing it is stated: "Crystallized honey shall be liquified to 130 degrees F and cooled to 68 degrees F before determining the grade of the product. I learned from another source that enzymes (the life in the honey) is complete destroyed when heated to 130 degrees F. Therefore, according to this report from the USDA regarding the grading of honey, they've killed the life I wanted in my honey. Here is something else I found out in my research. I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT Y.S. ECO BEE FARMS USES IMPORTED HONEY. I found that honey imported let's say from China can have their honey heated to 180 degrees F and blended with other honeys from other countries. They can even label their honey Organic and whether or not it is Organic, everyone down the line can state the honey is Organic. It gets worse from there but I'm not going there. You can do your own research. I sent an email to Y.S. Eco Bee Farms and here is the text: "Hello. I recently purchased your honey through Amazon.com. Lots # 3932 and 3965. The label states Raw Honey yet in small print under the Raw Honey labeling it also states U.S. Grade A. I'd like to know the processing of this honey and why it is that your company labels the honey U.S. Grade A while maintaining the Raw Honey labeling? Was this honey heated above 95 degrees F? Side Bar: The temperature within the hive is approximately 95 degrees F. If so, to what temperature F was the honey heated? Was it whipped? Label states "never forcefully processed". What kind of filtering process is used? I see no honey comb, bee parts or indication of the presence of pollen in the honey. This honey contains no clarity. Clarity seems normal in a true raw honey. Thank You." Here is their response: "Thank you for your purchase and inquiry. We strain the honey from a 55 gallon barrel to remove any large particles and bee wings, legs or other parts that naturally happen in the beekeeping process. The comb, royal jelly , pollen and propolis are trapped separate so there will only be small traces of these in the honey. Temperature warmed varies on moisture content etc. and is between 85 and 95 degrees just long enough to be able to get the honey through the bottling filler. It is not a whipped honey but naturally crystallizes due to floral source and moisture content. Enjoy! Y.S. Organic Bee Farms" Now according to the jar label it states that this honey is pure, unpasteurized, unfiltered (Alive enzymes, vitamins, minerals and all the nutrients are carefully preserved as a whole food) - Fresh, straight from the hive! Well according to the USDA who gave the Grade A to this honey, the honey was heated to at least 130 degrees F which is pasteurization and it killed the enzymes. Also, the email response from Y.S. Eco Bee Farms stated that the honey is "strained" [through what medium?] The comb, royal jelly, pollen and propolis are trapped separate; which means there is filtration going on [bad news for the guy who thought this honey had the pollen in it] so, the labeling that states unfiltered is questionable. I could go on at this point but I will not. The individual who responded to my email was gracious to respond immediately. Kudos. I have purchased other honeys before that are not processed and don't display the U.S. Grade A labeling. It certainly pays to look really carefully at the labeling. The honey taste is sweet and I like it. But it's dead and I'm not happy about that. Priced very nicely, packaged great for me and delivered promptly. I prefer glass jars but since I've had broken jars arrive before I opted for the plastic jar this time. Arrived without damage. For me, I won't buy honey that has the U.S. Grade A ever again. I have all the documentation for everything I wrote here. May it be a blessing to you.