Honey Regulations, 2004

L.N. 213 of 2004

FOOD SAFETY ACT

(CAP. 449)

Honey Regulations, 2004

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 10 of the Food Safety

Act, the Minister of Health, the Elderly and Community Care has made

the following regulations>-

Citation and coming

The title of these regulations is the Honey Regulations, 2004.

1.1

These regulations implement the provisions of

Council Directive 2001#110#EEC relating to honey.

These regulations shall come into force on 10th May, 2004

Names, Product Descriptions and Definitions

1. Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera

bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants or

excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect,

transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store

and leave in honeycombs to ripen and mature.

2. The main types of honey are as follows>

(a)

according to origin>

(i) blossom honey or nectar honey

Honey obtained from the nectar of plants<

(ii)

honeydew honey

Honey obtained mainly from excretions of plant sucking insects (Hemiptera) on

the living part of plants or secretions of living parts of plants;

(b)

according to mode of production and#or presentation>

(iii)

comb honey

Honey stored by bees in the cells of freshly built broodless combs or thin comb

foundation sheets made solely of beeswax and sold in sealed whole combs or sections

of such combs<

(iv)

chunk honey or cut comb in honey

Honey which contains one or more pieces of comb honey;

(v)

drained honey

Honey obtained by draining decapped broodless combs;

(vi)

extracted honey

Honey obtained by centrifuging decapped broodless combs;

(vii)

pressed honey

Honey obtained by pressing broodless combs with or without the

application of moderate heat not exceeding 45 ∞C;

(viii) filtered honey

Honey obtained by removing foreign inorganic or organic matter in

such a way as to result in the significant removal of pollen.

B

3. Baker’s honey

Honey which is>

(a)

suitable for industrial uses or as an ingredient in other foodstuffs

which are then processed and

(b)

may>

- have a foreign taste or odour, or

- have begun to ferment or have fermented, or

- have been overheated.

ANNEX II

Composition Criteria For Honey

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. The colour of honey varies from nearly colourless to dark brown.

The consistency can be fluid, viscous or partly to entirely crystallised. The flavour and

aroma vary, but are derived from the plant origin.

When placed on the market as honey or used in any product intended for human

consumption, honey shall not have added to it any food ingredient, including food

additives, nor shall any other additions be made other than honey. Honey must, as far

as possible, be free from organic or inorganic matters foreign to its composition. With

the exception of point 3 of the First Schedule, it must not have any foreign tastes or

odours, have begun to ferment, have an artificially changed acidity or have been heated

in such a way that the natural enzymes have been either destroyed or significantly

inactivated.

Without prejudice to point 2(b)(viii) of the First Schedule, no pollen or constituent

particular to honey may be removed except where this is unavoidable in the removal of

foreign inorganic or organic matter.

When placed on the market as honey or used in any product intended for human

consumption, honey must meet the following composition criteria>

1. Sugar content

1.1.

Fructose and glucose content (sum of both)

—blossom honey not less than 60 g#100 g

—honeydew honey, blends of honeydew honey with blossom honey

not less than 45 g#100 g

1.2.

Sucrose content

—in general not more than 5 g#100 g

—false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), alfalfa (Medicago sativa),

Menzies Banksia (Banksia menziesii), French honeysuckle (Hedysarum), red

gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis), leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida, Eucryphia

milliganii), Citrus spp. not more than 10 g#100 g

—lavender (Lavandula spp.), borage (Borago officinalis) not more than

15 g#100 g

2. Moisture content

—in general not more than 20 %

—heather (Calluna) and baker’s honey in general not more than 23 %

—baker’s honey from heather (Calluna) not more than 25 %

3. Water-insoluble content

—

in general not more than 0,1 g#100 g

—

pressed honey not more than 0,5 g#100 g

4. Electrical conductivity

—honey not listed below, and blends of these honeys not more than

0,8 mS#cm

—honeydew and chestnut honey and blends of these except with those

listed below not more than 0,8 mS#cm

—exceptions> strawberry tree

(Arbutus unedo), bell heather

(Erica), eucalyptus, lime (Tilia spp.), ling heather (Calluna vulgaris),

manuka or jelly bush (leptospermum), tea tree (Melaleuca spp.)

5. Free acid

—in general not more than 50 milli-equivalents acid per 1 000 grammes

—baker’s honey not more than 80 milli-equivalents acid per 1 000

grammes

provided that>

2.1

products falling within the scope of these regulations

which do not conform with these regulations but which conform with

the provisions of the Honey Order (L.N. 78 of 1999), may be placed on

the market until the 1 st August, 2004<

2.2

products falling within the scope of these regulations

which do not conform with these regulations but which conform with

the provisions of the Honey Order (L.N. 78 of 1999), and which were

labelled before the 1 st August, 2004, may continue to be marketed until

stocks are exhausted.

Kriterji ta’ Kompo]izzjoni ta’ l-G[asel

L-g[asel jikkonsisti essenzjalment minn forom diversi ta’ zokkor, l-aktar frutto]ju

u gluko]ju, kif ukoll sustanzi o[ra b[alma huma aidi organii, enzimi u partielli solidi li

;ejjin mill-;bir tal-g[asel. Il-kulur tal-g[asel ivarja minn kwa]i ming[ajr kulur sa

kannella skur. Il-konsistenza tista’ tkun fluwida, mag[quda jew parzjalment sa

kompletament kristallizzata. It-tog[ma u r-ri[a jvarjaw, i]da ji;u mill-pjanta ta’ ori;ini.

Meta jitqieg[ed fis-suq b[ala g[asel jew jintu]a f’xi prodott inti] g[al konsum

mill-bniedem, l-g[asel ma jista’ ji;i mi]jud mieg[u l-ebda ingredjent ta’ l-ikel, inklu]

additivi ta’ l-ikel, u lanqas jistg[u ji]diedu affarijiet o[ra g[ajr g[asel. L-g[asel g[andu,

sa fejn possibli, jkun [ieles minn materjal organiku jew inorganiku estraneju g[all-

kompo]izzjoni tieg[u. Bl-eççezzjoni ta’ punt 3 tal-Ewwel Skeda, ma jistax ikollu xi

tog[ma jew ri[a barranija, ikun beda jiffermenta, ikollu açidità mibdula artifiçjalment

jew ji;i msa[[an b’tali mod illi l-enzimi naturali ji;u meqruda jew titnaqqas l-attività

tag[hom b’mod sinifikanti.

Ming[ajr [sara g[al punt 2(b)(viii) ta’ l-Ewwel Skeda, l-ebda trab tal-fjur jew xi

kostitwent partikolari g[all-g[asel ma jista’ jitne[[a [lief fejn dan ma jistax ji;i evitat

waqt it-tne[[ija ta’ materjal barrani organiku jew inorganiku.

Meta jitqieg[ed fis-suq b[ala g[asel jew jintu]a f’xi prodott g[al konsum mill-

bniedem, l-g[asel g[andu jissodisfa dawn il-kriterji ta’ kompo]izzjoni li ;ejjin>

1. Kontenut ta’ zokkor

1.1

Kontenut ta’ frutto]ju u gluko]ju (it-total tat-tnejn)

- g[asel ta]-]ahar tal-fjura mhux anqas minn 60 g#100 g

- g[asel li ter[i pjanta jew fjura mill-weraq jew miz-zokk, ta[litiet ta’

g[asel li ter[i pjanta jew fjura mill-weraq jew miz-zokk ma’ g[asel ta]-]ahar

tal-fjura mhux anqas minn 45 g#100 g

2.2

Kontenut ta’ sakkaro]ju

- b’mod ;enerali mhux aktar minn 5 g#100 g

- Robinia pseudoacacia, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Banksia menziesii,

Hedysarum, Eucalyptus camadulensis, Eucryphia lucida, Eucryphia

milliganii, Citrus spp. mhux aktar minn 10 g#100 g

- Lavandula spp., Borago officinalis mhux aktar minn 15 g#100 g

2. Kontenut ta’ ilma

- b’mod ;enerali mhux aktar minn 20 %

- g[asel tax-xag[ri (Calluna) u g[asel g[at-tisjir b’mod ;enerali mhux

aktar minn 23 %

- g[asel tax-xag[ri g[at-tisjir (Calluna) mhux aktar minn 25 %

3. Kontenut ta’ materjal li ma jin[allx fl-ilma

- b’mod ;enerali mhux aktar minn 0.1 g#100 g

- g[asel fix-xehda mg[oddi mill-pressa mhux aktar minn 0.5 g#100 g

4. Konduttività ta’ l-elettriku

- g[asel mhux imni]]el hawn ta[t, u ta[litiet ta’ dawn il-forom ta’

g[asel mhux aktar minn 0.8 mS#cm

- g[asel li ter[i pjanta jew fjura mill-weraq jew miz-zokk u g[asel

tal-qastan kif ukoll ta[litiet ta’ dawn [lief dawk imni]]lin hawn ta[t mhux

aktar minn 0.8 mS/cm

- eççezzjonijiet> Arbutus unedo, Erica, ewkaliptus, lumiell (Tilia spp.),

Calluna vulgaris, leptospermum, Melaleuca spp.

5. Aidu [ieles

- b’mod ;enerali mhux aktar minn 50 milliekwivalenti ta’ açidu g[al

kull 1000 gramma

- g[asel g[at-tisjir mhux aktar minn 80 milliekwivalenti ta’ açidu g[al

kull 1000 gramma

Attività ta’ diastase u idroximetilfurfural (HMF) determinati wara l-

These regulations shall apply to the products defined in the

First Schedule. These products shall meet the requirements set out in

the Second Schedule.

The Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs

Regulations, 2002 (L.N. 5 of 2002) shall apply to the products defined

in the First Schedule, subject to the following conditions>

4.1

the term ‘honey’ shall be applied only to the product

defined in point 1 of the First Schedule, and shall be used in trade to

designate that product;

4.2 the product names referred to in points 2 and 3 of the

First Schedule shall apply only to the products defined therein and shall

be used in trade to designate them. These names may be replaced by

the simple product name ‘honey’, except in the case of filtered honey,

comb honey, chunk honey or cut comb in honey and baker’s honey.

However,

(a)

in the case of baker’s honey, the words ‘intended for

cooking only’ shall appear on the label in close proximity to the

product name<

(b)

except in the case of filtered honey and baker’s honey,

the product names may be supplemented by information referring

to>

—floral or vegetable origin, if the product comes wholly

or mainly from the indicated source and possesses the

organoleptic, physico-chemical and microscopic

characteristics of the source,

—regional, territorial or topographical origin, if the

product comes entirely from the indicated source,

—specific quality criteria<

4.3

Where baker’s honey has been used as an ingredient

in a compound foodstuff, the term ‘honey’ may be used in the product

name of the compound food instead of the term ‘baker’s honey’.

However, in the list of ingredients, the term as referred to in point 3 of

the First Schedule shall be used.

4.4

The country or countries of origin where the honey

has been harvested shall be indicated on the label. However, if the honey

originates in more than one Member State of the European Community

or third country that indication may be replaced with one of the

following, as appropriate>

—‘blend of EC honeys’,

—‘blend of non-EC honeys’,

—‘blend of EC and non-EC honeys’.

4.5

For the purpose of the Labelling, Presentation and

Advertising of Foodstuffs Regulations, 2002, and in particular regulation

14 thereof, the particulars to be indicated according to regulation 4.4 of

these regulations shall be

considered as indications according to regulation 5.1 of the

Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs Regulations, 2002.

4.6

In the case of filtered honey and baker’s honey, bulk

containers, packs and trade documents shall clearly indicate the full

product name, as referred to in point 2(b)(viii) and point 3 of the First

Schedule.

Verification of compliance of honey with the provisions of

these regulations shall be carried out using the methods adopted by the

European Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in

Article 7(2) of Council Directive 2001#110#EC 1 , or, in the absence of

such methods, using, whenever possible, internationally validated

methods such as those approved by Codex Alimentarius.

Diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content (HMF)

determined after processing and blending

(a)

Diastase activity (Schade scale)

—in general, except baker’s honey not less than 8

—honeys with low natural enzyme content (e.g. citrus honeys) and an

HMF content of not more than 15 mg#kg not less than 3

(b)

HMF

—in general, except baker’s honey not more than 40 mg#kg (subject

to the provisions of (a), second indent)

—honeys of declared origin from regions with tropical climate and

blends of these honeys not more than 80 mg#kg

OJ L 10, 12.1.2002, p.47

Mitbug[ fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern — Printed at the Government Printing Press