China issues national standards for honey
(Asia Pulse)
Updated: 2005-12-05 19:34

China has issued a set of compulsory national standards for honey, which will take effect on March 1, 2006.

According to Yang Hanbing, director of the China Honey Products Association Honey Committee and chairman of the Beijing Baihua Honey Products Company, the newly promulgated national standards add truthfulness requirements on honey.

The compulsory standards stipulate that any starch, sugar and sugar substitutive substances may not be added to or mixed into honey. The standards also ban the addition or mixture of foreign substances such as preservatives.

The standards also specify the methods and principles to test adulteration in honey.

Besides, the naming of honey products is integrated with international standards under the new standards. If other nutritious substances are added to honey, honey may not be used in the name of the product.