# Petition for Standard of Identity Rejected by FDA.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

From Bee-Informed, by Tim Tucker, ABF E-Buzz Editor



The FDA recently rejected the application for a standard of identity for honey, concluding that the petition did not provide reasonable grounds for the FDA to adopt the Codex standard for honey. It also concluded that the agency's existing enforcement tools are sufficient to address the concerns of the petition and "the establishment of a standard of identity would not aid the agency in its enforcement efforts or help insure industry compliance."

The argument presented in the original petition was that a standard of identity for honey would promote honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers, because consumers are confused about what the term "honey" means in terms of the food's composition. The FDA concluded that establishing a standard of identity for honey would not provide additional assurance that consumers would be informed any better. The label should provide any information on what might be added to the honey and it is the label that should alleviate any confusion that consumers might have.

While it is certainly true that some products are mislabeled, the proposed standard of identity would not provide any additional enforcement authority beyond what currently exists for improperly branded foods. The proposed goals are 1) informing consumers who are confused about what "honey" means in terms of the food's composition; 2) combating economic adulteration by aiding enforcement and industry compliance; and 3) promoting honesty and fair dealing within the food trade in general, where pure honey is highly valued as an ingredient in other foods. Those goals "can all be achieved using existing FDA enforcement tools" and concluded that a standard of identity for honey would not provide any "additional support toward the achievement of these goals."

While we in the industry tend to disagree, it will be a difficult hurdle to get the FDA to reconsider any time in the near future, so it will be necessary to continue efforts at the state level for individual standard of identity establishment.


 Al


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Market forces have done a fair job of ensuring quality over the years. 

Some of the old timers when I was young used to insist on comb honey because it could not be cut with corn syrup. What the market demands people will produce, and good comb honey was once both common and a little more expensive!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Terri said:


> Market forces have done a fair job of ensuring quality over the years.
> 
> Some of the old timers when I was young used to insist on comb honey because it could not be cut with corn syrup. What the market demands people will produce, and good comb honey was once both common and a little more expensive!


Combined comb and honey is coming back. We've been able to get it for the past few years at a local "self serve" beekeeper outlet. Always wide-mouth pints. Friend at our farmers market also had it this year. And, darned if I didn't also see it in a local supermarket last week from yet another honey source! That brand had always carried blocks of comb for years but this was the first time that I've seen it combined in jars.

Martin


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

alleyyooper said:


> Those goals "can all be achieved using existing FDA enforcement tools"


If only they were enforced! Walk into any supermarket and you can find a multitude of items labeled as "Honey this" or "Honey that" which are in violation of FDA labeling laws because either they don't contain any honey, or don't contain enough to meet the law (e.g., if the word "Honey" is used in large print, then the labeling laws require that honey be a primary ingredient or be the primary sweetener).


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

One of our biggest sellers for many years has been the pint canning jars with chunks of cut comb honey then covered with liquid honey. for some reason the quarts we did like that didn't sell well at all.

KFC at one time had packets of what they labeled as honey, it wasn't honey at all just corn syrup. I don't know if the pratiac is still done as I don't want any of their honey any way. 
Our biggest buyer was a donut chain store (4 of them localy) out of Canada. The corperation a month ago did an inspection of the local stores and told them they could not have our honey there to put in the tea, oatmeal and coffee they sold. they have to get packets from the corp for that. The owner it appears has decided they would no longer have honey for their customers as they do not have the packets. I wanted to see if it was real honey or if it was like KFC and just corn syrup.


 Al


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

The KFC packets say "Honey Sauce", which probably contains twice as much honey as the "Honey Mustard" which my local beekeeper sells at the farmers market. Our supermarkets all carry honey-flavored syrup and all that I've ever seen it labeled as is "Honey Syrup". 

Reason for quarts with comb don't sell is that few people still have sundae spoons which are the only ones long enough to scoop it out. Unlike plain honey, that with comb is usually eaten right from the jar rather than in another form of food.

Martin


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

The honey as "prime sweetener" label thing apparently doesn't fly past the mustard section. Just back from shopping at HyVee and checked 7 different brands of honey mustard. Every single one of them lists sugar ahead of honey in the ingredients. 

Martin


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