# Labeling of Honey



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Welcome to Beesource!

At a minimum, you will need to comply with the labeling laws of the state within which you wish to sell this mixture. Since you don't show a state in your profile or your post, advice offered here won't be particularly relevant.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

How did you test that???


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## Seth (Sep 11, 2013)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Welcome to Beesource!
> 
> At a minimum, you will need to comply with the labeling laws of the state within which you wish to sell this mixture. Since you don't show a state in your profile or your post, advice offered here won't be particularly relevant.


Ah sorry, this is for Texas


There are labs that will do testing, the initial test shows if there is a likelihood of there being contaminates and if so then a second test can see how much.


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Somebody must have been feeding syrup with supers on, anyway, I never had that problem, but if someone did have corn syrup in their honey they would most certainly not be able to label it pure honey anymore, and very possibly need to state the ingredients on the label. JMO.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Ah sorry, this is for Texas

The site quoted below may be useful ...


> Sections 131.081 through 131.084 address the labeling and sale of honey. A person cannot label, sell or keep, offer, or expose for sale a product identified on its label as "honey," "liquid or extracted honey," "strained honey," or "pure honey" unless the product consists exclusively of pure honey. 131.081. Recall that the definition of "pure honey" includes honey in the comb or that has been taken from the comb and is packaged in a liquid, crystallized or granular form. Also, one cannot have a picture or drawing of a bee, hive or comb on one's label unless the product is pure honey. 131.082. One cannot sell a product that looks like honey but isn't, even if it is labeled "imitation honey." 131.083.
> *
> There are extensive labeling requirements for products that are mixtures of honey and another ingredient. Among those requirements for mixtures is that the word "honey" cannot be bigger than the other ingredients listed. 131.084. The Texas Department of Health is the agency responsible for enforcing the rules related to the labeling of honey. 131.101.
> 
> ...


The numbers above refer to Chapter 131 of the _Texas Agriculture Code. _If you want to read the Code itself, click here:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/AG/htm/AG.131.htm


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

Seth said:


> Recently we have had batches of honey that tested slightly high for corn syrup (around 10%).
> 
> 
> Edit: Location is Texas


How did you test for that?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Was this honey you bought or took off of your own hives? I don't see how you can sell that as honey, even if you do put an ingredients list on the label.

How much do you have?


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## bbbthingmaker (Sep 26, 2010)

It should be labeled as "Honey Flavored Corn Syrup."


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## Stan1951 (Apr 9, 2013)

bbbthingmaker said:


> It should be labeled as "Honey Flavored Corn Syrup."


That started my day off with a laugh


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

Depending on how much there is, I would call it "Bee Food".


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## ramdino (Jan 26, 2013)

Seth said:


> Recently we have had batches of honey that tested slightly high for corn syrup (around 10%). We are considering selling some locally and wondering how it should be labeled. What is legally required for it to be called honey and should we be listing ingredients since it has corn syurp?
> 
> Thanks
> My personal opinion is you aint selling pure honey. Your selling a honey corn syrup mixture. If it aint pure honey don't sell it as pure honey, that's wrong. People expect honey to be honey only. If you misrepresent the product it gives all of us a bad name.
> ...



My personal opinion is you aint selling pure honey. Your selling a honey corn syrup mixture. If it aint pure honey don't sell it as pure honey, that's wrong. People expect honey to be honey only. If you misrepresent the product it gives all of us a bad name.


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## papa (Oct 4, 2010)

You never answered how the corn syrup got into the honey. Was this a blend or feeding corn syrup with supers on?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

ramdino said:


> My personal opinion is you aint selling pure honey. Your selling a honey corn syrup mixture. If it aint pure honey don't sell it as pure honey, that's wrong. People expect honey to be honey only. If you misrepresent the product it gives all of us a bad name.


Not just wrong, illegal. Just ask the Chinese under Federal Enditement.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Just ask the Chinese under Federal Enditement.

Hmmm.

You may be referring to _*Americans*_, selling honey they imported illegally from China.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...ankrupt&p=1020953&highlight=groeb#post1020953


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## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

welcome to the world of adulturated honey. Either by ignorance, accident or intentional its still the same thing. 60% of the honey on our store shelves is most likely the same thing. Just a fact.


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