Due to the lack of legislation and mandatory quality control, beeswax is a frequent target of adulteration and a growing problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the quality of beeswax on the international market. Beeswax samples (comb foundations and beeswax blocks) were collected from 33 countries (n=300), and analysed by infrared (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. The results have revealed that 166 (55.3%) samples were adulterated with paraffin (51%) and stearin/stearic acid (4.3%). The proportion of paraffin in adulterated samples ranged from 3.5 to 100%, and of stearin/stearic acid from 1.5 to 29.2%. The highest proportions of paraffin (> 90%) were detected in samples from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and China, while stearin/stearic acid were detected in samples from Belgium and Netherlands. Adulterants were not found only in samples from several European countries (Luxembourg, Sweden and the United Kingdom), African countries (Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia), as well as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Russia and Vietnam. The results of this study indicate an urgent need to resolve the problem of beeswax adulteration on international level.