EU mandates origin labels on honey and jams to combat fraud

Every honey jar must include information about the country or countries of origin to help consumers know what they're purchasing and reduce food industry fraud. These changes will extend to fruit juices and jams as well.

On April 29th, the EU Council updated the so-called breakfast directives concerning the composition, labelling, and naming of honey, fruit juices, fruit jams, and powdered milk.

David Clarinval, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture commented, "The updated directives aim to promote a shift to healthier diets, help consumers make informed choices, and ensure transparency regarding the origin of products."

The updates require honey blends to list the countries of origin on the label in descending order by weight, along with their percentage of the total. This departure from vague labels like "blend of EU and non-EU honeys" is significant. Member states can list only the top four countries, provided they represent over 50% of the blend.

The required fruit content for jams will rise from 350 to 450 grams per kilogram, and for extra jams, from 450 grams to just over 1 pound per kilogram.

New categories for fruit juices, such as "reduced-sugar fruit juice," will be introduced alongside the assurance of "only naturally occurring sugars." Also, a new processing method for lactose-free powdered milk will be allowed.

These regulations will be implemented EU-wide two years after being published in the Official Journal of the EU, which follows 20 days after adoption.

Alarmingly, the European Commission's Research Centre reported that nearly half of the honey imported into EU countries is counterfeit, containing additives from rice, wheat, or sugar beets.