Analysis and Comparison of Honey Safety Standards in China and the World

China’s national standard for food safety regarding honey, known as GB 14963-2011, has been in effect since its promulgation in 2011. Since then, it has garnered widespread attention from both the industry and society at large. Debates have ensued on how to precisely define the authenticity of honey. This article undertakes a comparative analysis of honey standards both domestically and internationally. It delves into the indicators related to honey quality, safety, and authenticity while presenting a detailed examination of data pertaining to total bacterial count and botulinum toxin detection. The aim is to explore the positioning and content of China’s honey safety standards and to provide support for their revision.

1. Data and Methodology

1.1 Data Sources
The study encompasses current Chinese honey safety standards GB 14963-2011 ‘National Food Safety Standard – Honey’ and industry standard GH/T 18796-2012 ‘Honey’, as well as honey product standards from international organizations such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the European Union, Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Canada, South Korea, among others, along with laboratory testing data.

1.2 Methodology
The research primarily employs comparative and statistical analysis, combining comparative analysis results with testing data for comprehensive study and analysis.

2. Results and Analysis

2.1 Chinese Honey Standards
China’s current honey product standards include GB 14963-2011 ‘National Food Safety Standard – Honey’ and GH/T 18796-2012 ‘Honey’. GB 14963-2011 is a mandatory national standard focusing on safety indicators such as contaminants, microorganisms, and quality indicators related to safety, such as sucrose. The reference basis for contaminants, pesticide residues, and veterinary drug residues in GB 14963-2011 is based on basic food safety standards or related announcements. GH/T 18796-2012 is a recommended industry standard, emphasizing industry requirements and stipulating indicators reflecting product quality such as acidity, glucose oxidase activity, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Additionally, GH/T 18796-2012 also includes provisions on product grades, authenticity requirements, and naming requirements.

2.2 International Honey Standards
Standards for honey products from CAC, the European Union, ANZ, and Canada are similar to China’s GB 14963-2011, with corresponding basic or general standards for contaminants and microorganisms. International honey product standards or regulations include CAC’s CODEX STAN 12-1981 ‘Honey’, the European Union’s Directive 2001/110/EC, Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations B.18.025 ‘Honey’, ANZ’s Food Standards Code 2.8.2 ‘Honey’, and South Korea’s Food Code 29-7 ‘Honey’.

2.3 Comparison of Domestic and International Honey Standards
The honey standards of CAC, the European Union, and Canada are similar in content, covering a wide range of indicators including basic definitions, sensory requirements, moisture, glucose and fructose, sucrose, acidity, insoluble matter, glucose oxidase activity, and hydroxymethylfurfural. Compared to China’s honey standards, international honey standards generally do not specify microbial limit requirements.

2.4 Basis for Establishing Honey Standards
According to Article 26 of the Food Safety Law, food safety standards should include maximum limits for pathogens, pesticide residues, veterinary drug residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and other harmful substances in food, as well as quality requirements related to food safety and other contents that need to be formulated as food standards. For honey, quality indicators related to safety mainly include glucose and fructose, sucrose, and moisture, while safety-related indicators mainly include contaminants and microorganisms. Additionally, requirements regarding adulteration have sparked widespread concern.

2.5 Quality Indicators Related to Food Safety

2.5.1 Glucose and Fructose
Glucose and fructose are the main sweetening components and important quality characteristics of honey. The requirements for glucose and fructose in most domestic and international honey standards are basically consistent and in line with the actual situation of honey.

2.5.2 Sucrose
Sucrose is a minor sugar component in honey and its content directly affects the quality of honey. The requirements for sucrose content in honey standards both domestically and internationally are basically consistent and in line with the actual situation of honey.

2.5.3 Moisture
Moisture is another important quality indicator in honey, closely related to product stability and shelf life. Excessive moisture in honey can cause fermentation and spoilage, affecting quality and safety. Moisture is also one of the main indicators for determining adulteration. Adding water to honey can increase the product’s weight and profitability. Therefore, setting moisture limits in honey standards is an important measure to ensure product quality and safety, and to prevent adulteration. The moisture limit requirements in honey standards of different countries are generally consistent.

2.6 Safety Indicators Related to Food Safety

2.6.1 Contaminants
GB 2762-2017 ‘National Food Safety Standard – Maximum Limits of Contaminants in Foods’ stipulates the maximum limits for heavy metals in honey, while GB 2763-2019 ‘National Food Safety Standard – Maximum Residue Limits of Pesticides in Foods’ stipulates the maximum residue limits for pesticides in honey. The corresponding provisions in other countries’ honey standards are basically consistent with Chinese standards.

2.6.2 Microorganisms
GB 4789.2-2016 ‘National Food Safety Standard – Microbiological Examination of Food – Examination of Total Bacterial Count’ and GB 4789.38-2016 ‘National Food Safety Standard – Microbiological Examination of Food – Examination of Clostridium botulinum’ stipulate the limits for total bacterial count and Clostridium botulinum in honey. The corresponding provisions in other countries’ honey standards are basically consistent with Chinese standards.

3. Conclusion

Domestic and international honey standards are similar in terms of contaminant and microbial limit requirements. Contaminant limits in domestic honey standards are established based on general or basic standards, ensuring product safety. Most international honey standards do not specify microbial limit requirements, possibly because microbial limit requirements are not included in basic or general standards, or because the country does not have microbial limit standards. Quality indicators related to safety in honey mainly include glucose and fructose, sucrose, and moisture. Safety-related indicators mainly include contaminants and microorganisms. The limit requirements for these indicators are generally consistent between countries, facilitating trade facilitation and promoting industry development. Domestic honey standards should be continuously updated in accordance with industry development and technological progress, aligned with international standards, and uphold market order and consumer rights.”