Firm invents vegan honey which does not need bees to make it – but does it taste any different?

HONEY which is made without bees has earned a stinging rebuke from angry beekeepers.

They hit out at the vegan sticky substitute which has been invented by scientists.

One member of the Beesource online forum reckoned: “I don’t even know where to start, they shouldn’t be allowed to call it honey for one thing.

"I find all their reasons for inventing it completely preposterous.”

Another angry user added: “Spread the word! The only safe honey comes from beekeepers who actually keep bees.”

The beekeeping community is abuzz after US food tech firm MeliBio created Ohney, a plant-based version of natural honey.

The company says its invention reduces the threat to native and wild bee species which are pushed out by buzzing workers from managed honey hives.

Wild bees also pollinate 80 per cent of flowers, but honey bees only a fraction of them.

Experts at MeliBio say Ohney delivers the same taste and health benefits without damage to bees and the environment.

The scientists recreated the nectar fermentation which takes place in bees’ stomachs.

They then mixed that with glucose syrup and fructose, which make up 70 per cent of honey, to come up with a product with the same molecular composition as honey.

MeliBio boss Darko Mandich said: “We decided to produce honey just like honey bees make it, but removing them from the supply chain so we can help wild bees to thrive.”