Regulation 16
1. The honey consists essentially of different sugars, predominantly fructose and glucose, as well as other substances such as organic acids, enzymes and solid particles derived from honey collection.E+W
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I1Sch. 1 para. 1 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
2. The colour varies from nearly colourless to dark brown.E+W
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I2Sch. 1 para. 2 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
3. The consistency can be fluid, viscous or partly or entirely crystallised.E+W
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I3Sch. 1 para. 3 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
4. The flavour and aroma vary but are derived from the plant origin.E+W
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I4Sch. 1 para. 4 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
5. No food ingredient has been added, including any food additive.E+W
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I5Sch. 1 para. 5 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
6. No other additions have been made to the honey except for other honey.E+W
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I6Sch. 1 para. 6 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
7. It must, as far as possible, be free from organic or inorganic matters foreign to its composition.E+W
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I7Sch. 1 para. 7 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
8. It must not—E+W
(a)have any foreign tastes or odours;
(b)have begun to ferment;
(c)have an artificially changed acidity;
(d)have been heated in such a way that the natural enzymes have been either destroyed or significantly inactivated.
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I8Sch. 1 para. 8 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
9. Paragraph 8 does not apply to baker’s honey.E+W
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I9Sch. 1 para. 9 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
10. No pollen or constituent particular to honey may be removed except where this is unavoidable in the removal of foreign inorganic or organic matter.E+W
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I10Sch. 1 para. 10 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
11. Paragraph 10 does not apply to filtered honey.E+W
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I11Sch. 1 para. 11 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)
12. The additional compositional criteria set out in the following table apply—E+W
| Criteria | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sugar content | |
1.—(1) Fructose and glucose content (sum of both)—E+W | |
(a) blossom honey | not less than 60g/100g |
(b) honeydew honey and a blend of honeydew honey with blossom honey | not less than 45g/100g |
(2) Sucrose content— | |
(a) all honey except for honey specified in paragraph (b) or (c) | not more than 5g/100g |
(b) false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey, alfalfa (Medicago sativa) honey, Menzies Banksia (Banksia menziesii) honey, French honeysuckle (Hedysarum) honey, red gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis) honey, leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida, Eucryphia milliganii) honey, Citrus spp. honey | not more than 10g/100g |
(c) lavender (Lavandula spp.) honey, borage (Borago officinalis) honey | not more than 15g/100g |
| Moisture content | |
2. Moisture content—E+W | |
(a) all honey except for honey specified in paragraph (b), (c) or (d) | not more than 20% |
(b) honey from heather (Calluna) | not more than 23% |
(c) baker’s honey except for baker’s honey from heather (Calluna) | not more than 23% |
(d) baker’s honey from heather (Calluna) | not more than 25% |
| Water-insoluble content | |
3. Water-insoluble content—E+W | |
(a) all honey except pressed honey | not more than 0.1g/100g |
(b) pressed honey | not more than 0.5g/100g |
| Electrical conductivity | |
4. Electrical conductivity—E+W | |
(a) all honey except for bell heather (Erica) honey, chestnut honey, eucalyptus honey, honeydew honey, lime (Tilia spp.) honey, ling heather (Calluna vulgaris) honey, manuka or jelly bush (Leptospermum) honey, strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) honey and tea tree (Melaleuca spp.) honey | not more than 0.8mS/cm |
(b) blends of honeys to which paragraph (a) applies | not more than 0.8mS/cm |
(c) honeydew honey | not less than 0.8mS/cm |
(d) blends of honeydew honey except blends of that honey with bell heather (Erica) honey, eucalyptus honey, lime (Tilia spp.) honey, ling heather (Calluna vulgaris) honey, manuka or jelly bush (Leptospermum) honey, strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) honey and tea tree (Melaleuca spp.) honey | not less than 0.8mS/cm |
(e) chestnut honey | not less than 0.8mS/cm |
(f) blends of chestnut honey except blends of that honey with bell heather (Erica) honey, eucalyptus honey, lime (Tilia spp.) honey, ling heather (Calluna vulgaris) honey, manuka or jelly bush (Leptospermum) honey, strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) honey and tea tree (Melaleuca spp.) honey | not less than 0.8mS/cm |
| Free acid | |
5. Free acid—E+W | |
(a) all honey except for baker’s honey | not more than 50 milli-equivalents acid per kg |
(b) baker’s honey | not more than 80 milli-equivalents acid per kg |
| Diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content | |
6. Diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content (HMF) determined after processing and blending—E+W | |
(a) diastase activity (Schade scale) — | |
(i) all honey except baker’s honey and honey specified in sub-paragraph (ii) | not less than 8 |
(ii) honey with a low natural enzyme content (e.g. citrus honey) and an HMF content of not more than 15mg/kg | not less than 3 |
(b) HMF— | |
(i) all honey except baker’s honey and honey specified in sub-paragraph (ii) | not more than 40mg/kg |
(ii) honey of a declared origin from a region with a tropical climate and blends of these honeys | not more than 80mg/kg |
Commencement Information
I12Sch. 1 para. 12 in force at 3.8.2015, see reg. 1(2)