In today’s world, honey has one of the most varied markets of any food, ranging from the hobbyist beekeeper selling at local farmers markets to giant international corporations shipping around the world. According to the National Honey Board, honey is also heavily used in packaged foods with 65% of sales being bulk sales for food service and food manufacturers.
As a manufacturer, it’s important to know how to label honey in a way that attracts and informs consumers while complying with local and federal regulations.
Unlike most foods, labeling requirements and best practices for honey vary widely depending on the market. This guide walks you through these important regulations to ensure your labels look their best when they reach consumers.
Label Requirements for All Honey Products
Federal requirements for honey labeling are covered by 21 U.S.C. 342 and 343. This includes sections 402 and 403 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Surprisingly, there are only three federal requirements on all honey labels:
Common Name
If the product is pure honey, its common name must be “honey.” If the product contains other sweeteners, the ingredient list and name must clearly state what is in the container. Usually, this takes the form of “a blend of” followed by sweeteners in order of percentage. For example, if the product is mostly honey with some corn syrup, it should be labeled “A Blend of Honey and Corn Syrup.”
For flavored honeys, the common name should refer to the primarily flavoring, i.e. “Strawberry-flavored Honey.”
Net Weight
The weight is listed at the bottom 30% of the principal display panel (PDP) on the inner and outer packaging. It must be listed in both customary and metric units.
Contact Information
This requirement includes the address, phone number and other contact information for the manufacturer, packer or distributor.
Optional and Conditionally-Required Information for Your Honey Jar Label
Packagers have the option of naming specific floral sources, like clover honey, in the common name. When you claim the floral source of the honey, you must have proof that the name matches the chief floral source for the product.
An ingredient statement is not required on pure honey to meet FDA labeling requirements. All other products must list the ingredients by weight in order from heaviest to lightest.
After debating whether sweeteners like honey are “added” sugar, the FDA came to a compromise for nutrition labeling on these products.
The format of the Nutrition Facts is the same as any other label, except it must include a footnote. This footnote at the bottom of the label states “One serving adds (grams) of sugar to your diet and represents (percent) of the Daily Value for Added Sugars.” The amounts vary, but for typical pure honey, this will be 17g and 34% for a standard tablespoon serving.
There are labeling exemptions for honey producers making less than $500,000 per year, as long as there aren’t health claims on the label. For more information, read this guidance document on FDA.gov.
It is generally recommended to include the statement “WARNING: Do Not Feed Honey to Infants Under One Year Old.” As honey bees gather nectar and turn it into honey, they can pick up Clostridium botulinum spores. Approximately 20% of all botulism cases are linked to honey, and 90% of cases occur in infants under 6 months old.
The country of origin is required for imported products, even if they’re packaged in the U.S. The country of origin does not need to be included on domestic honey.
Production and “best by” dates are optional on honey and honey products. Raw honey doesn’t go bad, as long as it isn’t contaminated or exposed to moisture. However, it can crystallize and change flavor over time. The USDA recommends consuming honey within a year of production for the best flavor, and notes that significant flavor is lost after 5 years of storage.
There’s more than one way to certify and label organic products, including organic honey. To learn more about certification and labeling, check out our blog entry “Your Guide to Organic Food Label Requirements.”
Honey Grades
While not required, listing the honey grade on your product label helps inform consumers about your product. This grading is based on flavor, aroma and clarity. USDA grades are determined by points scored using tables IV and V in the U.S. Grade Standards for Extracted Honey:
U.S. Grade A – 90 points
U.S. Grade B – 80 points
U.S. Grade C – 70 points
Substandard – Below 70 points
Color is measured using a Pfund scale. This measures optical density: the higher the number, the darker the honey. While there are many terms in use to describe honey color, these are the official names and Pfund unit ranges recognized by the USDA:
– Water White – 0 – 8 mm
– Extra Light – 8 – 16 mm
– Light – 16 – 34 mm
– Extra Light Amber – 35 – 50 mm
– Light Amber – 51 – 84 mm
– Amber – 85 – 114 mm
– Dark – 115 – 140 mm
The Department of Agriculture does not use color to determine the grade, since it varies depending on the floral source. For example, high-quality citrus honey is usually Extra Light, while heather honey is usually Amber.
What Can be Called “Local” Honey?
Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Vermont are the only states that have strict rules on which food products can be called “locally grown.” Sometimes products must be produced and packaged within the state, while others allow out-of-state products, as long as they’re produced within a certain distance of the retailer.
In other states, meeting requirements for local production allows producers to take advantage of local advertising campaigns or become a preferred supplier for school lunch programs. The National Honey Board released a white paper on the subject, covering regulations across the country.
Choosing and Applying Your Honey Label
Whether you’re a beekeeper, running a co-op, or packaging honey from a variety of suppliers, choosing the right label has a big impact on your product. This extends from bottling all the way to the disposal of empty containers.
Food labeling must remain intact during the life of the product to inform consumers about food safety, and it also plays an important role in attracting customers when they’re browsing store shelves.
Bottling in plastic containers adds two challenges: flexing and outgassing.
BOPP and vinyl face stock are the top choices for these containers, because they won’t wrinkle when bent or stretched. This makes them ideal for squeezable containers. Outgassing is when gases pass through plastic, either from the inside of the container or the plastic itself. This can form bubbles underneath the surface of the label. Using fine adhesive carriers allows gases to escape before they collect under the label.
Bottling in glass containers requires less thought about label material and more thought about placement. Pressure sensitive labels wrinkle or flag if placed on areas with complex curves, like the top and bottom edges of a jar. These containers frequently have surface inconsistencies that can shift the placement of labels on each container. Adding 1/8 to 1/4 inch of overrun space keeps the label on the body of the jar.
The easiest way to add production or “best by” dates is by using a print-and-apply labeler. It has a print engine that adds black and white text to the label just before it’s applied. The date can be set directly on the machine or it can be transmitted to the labeler’s PLC over your operating technology system.
Since bulk sales make up the majority of the honey market, it pays to have a system in place for large containers. Our pail labeling system has no problem handling the 5 gallon pails commonly used to supply industrial and food service customers.
Get the Reliability You Need for Labeling Your Honey Products
No matter the scale of your operation, CTM Labeling Systems has the equipment you need to label your honey. Contact us to be put in touch with a local CTM distributor. They’ll work with you to set up a system that integrates into your existing production system with minimal downtime and application issues.
