Advisory on Standards for Honey and prohibition of antibiotics(PDF ...
Advisory on Standards for Honey and prohibition of antibiotics(PDF ...
Advisory on Standards for Honey and prohibition of antibiotics(PDF ...
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FSSAI <str<strong>on</strong>g>Advisory</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>St<strong>and</strong>ards</strong> <strong>for</strong> H<strong>on</strong>ey <strong>and</strong> prohibiti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>antibiotics</strong>Recently some reports have been appeared in the newspapers regarding thepermitted levels <strong>of</strong> <strong>antibiotics</strong> in h<strong>on</strong>ey. The following advisory is issued by Food Safety<strong>and</strong> <strong>St<strong>and</strong>ards</strong> Authority to clarify the issues involved.H<strong>on</strong>ey is the natural sweet substance produced by h<strong>on</strong>ey bees from the nectar <strong>of</strong>blossoms or from secreti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> plants.When visually inspected, the h<strong>on</strong>ey shall be free from any <strong>for</strong>eign matter such asmould, dirt, scum, pieces <strong>of</strong> beeswax, the fragments <strong>of</strong> bees <strong>and</strong> other insects <strong>and</strong> fromany other extraneous matter.The colour <strong>of</strong> h<strong>on</strong>ey vary from light to dark brown.<strong>St<strong>and</strong>ards</strong> <strong>for</strong> h<strong>on</strong>ey have been prescribed under Preventi<strong>on</strong> Food Adulterati<strong>on</strong>(PFA) Rules, 1955 as under.(a) Specific gravity at 27 O C Not less than 1.35(b) MoistureNot more than 25 per cent by mass(c) Total reducing sugarsNot less than 65 per cent by mass(c-i) <strong>for</strong> Carbia colossa <strong>and</strong> H<strong>on</strong>ey dew Not less than 60 per cent by mass(d) SucroseNot more than to 5.0 per cent by mass(d-i) <strong>for</strong> Carbia colossa <strong>and</strong> H<strong>on</strong>ey dewNot more than 10 per cent by mass(e) Fructose-glucose ratio Not less than 0.95(f) Ash(g) Acidity (Expressed as <strong>for</strong>mic acid)(h) Fiehe's test(i) Hydroxy methyl furfural(HMF),mg/kgNot more than 0.5 percent by massNot more than 0.2 per cent by massNegativeNot more than 80-2-If Fiehe's test is positive, <strong>and</strong> hydroxy methyl furfural (HMF) c<strong>on</strong>tent is more than 80milligram/kilogram, then fructose: glucose ratio should be 1.0 or more.
Rule 44 D provides <strong>for</strong> restricti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> sale <strong>of</strong> Carbia Callosa <strong>and</strong> H<strong>on</strong>ey dew. CarbiaCollosa <strong>and</strong> H<strong>on</strong>ey dew shall be sold <strong>on</strong>ly in sealed c<strong>on</strong>tainers bearing AGMARK seal.Rule 45 specifies that food resembling but not pure h<strong>on</strong>ey cannot be marked ash<strong>on</strong>ey. No pers<strong>on</strong> shall use the word „H<strong>on</strong>ey‟ or any word, mark, illustrati<strong>on</strong> or device thatsuggests „H<strong>on</strong>ey‟ <strong>on</strong> the label or any package <strong>of</strong>, or in any advertisement <strong>for</strong>, any food thatresembles h<strong>on</strong>ey but is not pure h<strong>on</strong>ey.Violati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the provisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> PFA Act/Rules attracts penal acti<strong>on</strong>.No pesticide residues or <strong>antibiotics</strong> are allowed in h<strong>on</strong>ey.The maximum limits <strong>of</strong> heavy metals in various foods are prescribed under PFARules, 1955. Rule 57 <strong>of</strong> PFA Rules prescribes the limits <strong>of</strong> c<strong>on</strong>taminants under category“Foods not specified” (which includes h<strong>on</strong>ey) as follows:-1. Lead Not more than 2.5 ppm2. Copper Not more than 30.0 ppm3. Arsenic Not more than 1.1 ppm4. Tin Not more than 250.0 ppm5. Zinc Not more than 50.0 ppm6. Cadmium Not more than 1.5 ppm7. Mercury Not more than 1.0 ppm8. Methyl Mercury Not more than 0.25 ppm<strong>St<strong>and</strong>ards</strong> <strong>of</strong> H<strong>on</strong>ey under AGMARKThe Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture <strong>and</strong> Cooperati<strong>on</strong> has laid down st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>of</strong> h<strong>on</strong>eyunder the Grading <strong>and</strong> Marking Rules (AGMARK), which lays down the grades,designati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> h<strong>on</strong>ey as Special, Grade–A <strong>and</strong> St<strong>and</strong>ard to indicate the quality <strong>of</strong> h<strong>on</strong>ey<strong>for</strong> the purpose <strong>of</strong> certificati<strong>on</strong>. It specifies the method <strong>of</strong> packing, marking <strong>and</strong> labelling<strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>for</strong> grant <strong>of</strong> certificate <strong>for</strong> authorizati<strong>on</strong>. The st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>of</strong> AGMARK arevoluntary.In the matter <strong>of</strong> admissibility <strong>of</strong> <strong>antibiotics</strong> in h<strong>on</strong>ey, safety st<strong>and</strong>ards in India aresimilar to those in European Uni<strong>on</strong>, Codex Alimentarius <strong>and</strong> USA where they arecompletely prohibited.