A comparative analysis of GAS and STEAM Senior High School ruralite's awareness and consumer practices regarding adulterated honey

Date

6-2026

Adviser

Aprhodite M. Macale

Principal

Buela, Mabel S.

Abstract

Honey adulteration is a growing issue in the food industry that poses significant health, environmental, and economic concerns. These comprise the quality, authenticity, and nutritional value of commercial honey. In the Philippines, honey is widely consumed for its perceived health benefits, however many are unable to distinguish between pure and adulterated honey, influencing their purchasing decisions. Subsequently, there is still limited research examining the relation between consumer awareness and behavior in the context of honey adulteration. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine and compare the awareness and consumer practices of GAS and STEAM Senior High School students of UP Rural High School regarding adulterated honey. This study employed mixed-methods through surveying 114 Grade 12 GAS and STEAM students, assessing their demographic profile, consumer practices, and awareness of honey adulteration and its health, environmental, and economic impacts, gathered using physical, semi-structured questionnaires. After answering the survey, the highest frequency of students’ responses showed 91% of them will now consider checking labels before purchasing honey. Comparing the recommendations from the strands, STEAM had more concerns on purity, while GAS were cautious about online sources. Assessing their awareness, it was found that students from both strands are least aware that honey adulteration is a violation of the Food Safety Act of 2013, additionally, all statements mentioned show low awareness from both strands. This suggests integration of consumer education and food authenticity awareness in the Senior High School curriculum, which highlighted the need for a curriculum that better connects their learnings to real-life consumer situations. Moreover, the continued availability of adulterated honey underscores the call for stricter implementation of the regulations to protect both the beekeepers and the consumers.

Language

English

Location

UP Rural High School

Document Type

Capstone

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