Honey is a natural product, often the victim of food fraud. As a food product, honey is subject to various regulations and standards to guarantee its safety, quality, and authenticity.
What are the current regulations?
Regulatory bodies worldwide, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the European Union (EU), have established specific standards for honey that dictate its composition, labeling, and marketing. These standards aim to protect consumers from food fraud, adulteration, and contamination. Honey composition standards typically include minimum requirements for moisture content, sugar composition, and the absence of certain contaminants such as antibiotics, pesticides, and heavy metals. For example, in the United States, honey must contain at least 18% moisture and cannot contain more than 0.5 milligrams of certain antibiotics per kilogram of honey.
What analyses are required to market honey in France?
The European directive (EU Directive 2001/110) specifies physicochemical criteria and defines honey. As such, commercially available honey must be 100% pure and natural, and therefore must not contain exogenous sugars or residues of contaminants (according to the regulatory MRLs of Regulation (EU) 2023/915).
A risk analysis helps to assess which contaminants need to be tested:
- Pesticide risk
- Risk of veterinary treatment residues due to cross-contamination.
- Risk of nitrofuran residues, etc.
Honey labelling requirements may include country of origin, net weight and a list of ingredients.
In addition, some regulatory bodies may require specific labeling for certain types of honey, such as organic honey or honey with added ingredients like flavorings or pollen.
In addition to composition and labeling standards, honey may also be subject to regulations related to its production, processing, and distribution. For example, beekeepers may be required to follow specific guidelines for handling bees and honey, and honey processors may be required to comply with certain hygiene and safety standards.
Our YesWeLab team and our partner laboratories have developed analyses for honey. The YesWeLab team supports you in bringing products to market that comply with current standards.
