Part 8 the Series, “Of Monkeys, Mice and Men: From Natural Bodies to Digitized Bots”
I will keep this comparatively short and sweet . . .
I consider myself a honey enthusiast. I am not a beekeeper, although I purchase local raw honey from reputable beekeepers. When I say “reputable,” I do not imply that I have verified through some meticulous process that their honey is 100 percent pesticide-free, or superior in flavor and consistency than another. I simply seek out, and consume, honey using my intuition and asking basic questions about the purveyors’ source and methodology. In any case, I indulge in the consumption of raw honey nearly every day for culinary purposes — in my herbal teas, on my fresh fruit, on gluten-free toast, and sometimes by the spoonful sprinkled with cinnamon and cardamom. As I said, I am a honey enthusiast.
Recently, instead of a local store purchase, I ordered New Zealand-produced Manuka honey online. Though I can buy it in nearby stores, it is produced exclusively in Australia and New Zealand. I have been enjoying raw Manuka honey for the last five years, for its potentially therapeutic properties, including internal healing, such as aiding in digestion and anti-inflammation. I always keep some on hand in the event of external wounds as well. It is an expensive item, so I use it sparingly. If you are not familiar with Manuka honey and its individualized “grading system” called Unique Manuka Factor (UMF), please read here.
Due to its purported medicinal value, and its UMF ranking (in addition to other rating systems), Manuka honey production is recognized for its strict enforcement. This also follows because as one of the most expensive honey products, the adulteration and “counterfeiting” of Manuka honey is reportedly rampant. Hence, it should not have been a surprise when I saw that this particular Manuka honey brand had a scannable Quick Response (QR) code on the jar lid, to verify its traceability, and therefore, its authenticity. I had not noticed that when ordering.
Continue reading “Part 8: Trust Codes, Vaccine Passports, and Scannable Humans”
