Karen Kennedy, M.Sc.(Agr), P.Ag. Fruit Crop Development Officer
& Provincial Apiarist
REQUIREMENTS TO SELL HONEY
Selling Honey
•When sold in Canada, subject to the Food and Drugs
Act (FDA) and the Consumer Packaging and Labelling
Act (CPLA).
•Do NOT require a food premise license to sell honey!
•Monitored by CFIA
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Common Name
• “Honeydew honey“
• "Lavender honey“
• "Rubinia honey
• “Alfalfa honey,” or
•The name "honey" alone or accompanied by the
name of the blossom (e.g. clover honey)
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
List of Ingredients
•For single ingredient foods, the common name of the
product is the list of ingredients
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Net Quantity
•Standard container sizes: Any weight up to and
including 150 g, 250 g, 375 g, 500 g, 750 g, 1 kg,
1.5 kg, 2 kg, 3 kg or 5 kg.
•Honey packaged in bulk: 7 kg, 15 kg, 30 kg
- Containers >30 kg, a multiple of 1 kg
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Identity & Place of Business
•Domestic prepackaged honey for the consumer –
must be on the label
•Domestic honey packaged in bulk – must be on the
container
• Imported honey - must be on the label
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Designation Class
•Type Height for Net Quantity, etc.
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Country of Origin
•Domestic Honey: where produced & graded under the Honey Regulations, the container marked with the words "Product of Canada”
• Imported Honey: where repacked (unblended) as prepackaged honey for the consumer, the containers shall be marked "Product of _____".
•Blend of Domestic and Imported Honey: container must be marked with the words "A Blend of Canadian and ______ Honey"
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Designation Class
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Grade & Colour Class Designation
• Canadian Honey or repackaged and graded Imported Honey:
• Canada No. 1
• Canada No. 2
• Canada No. 3
• Substandard
• Imported Honey in original containers
• Grade No. 1
• Grade No. 2
• Grade No. 3
** Cannot be written on the label unless the honey is prepared
in a registered establishment by CFIA **
Grade & Colour Class Designation
Class Designation on Honey Classifier
Reading on Pfund Honey Grader
White Not darker than white ≤ 30 mm
Golden Darker than white, but not darker than Golden
30 mm -50 mm
Amber darker than Golden, but not darker than Amber
50 mm -85 mm
Dark Darker than Amber ≥ 85 mm
Colour Class Designation for Prepackaged Honey for the Consumer
Grade & Colour Class Designation
Colour Class Designation for Honey Packed in Bulk Containers Consumer
Class Designation on Honey Classifier
Reading on Pfund Honey Grader
Extra White
not darker than Extra White
≤ 13 mm
White darker than Extra White but not darker than White
13 mm -30 mm
Golden darker than White but not darker than Golden
30 mm -50 mm
Light Amber
darker than Golden but not darker than Amber
50 mm -85 mm
Dark Amber
darker than Amber but not darker than Dark
85 mm -114 mm
Dark darker than Dark ≥ 114 mm
Photometer
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
# Containers Within a Bulk Container
•The number of containers within a bulk container of
honey must be indicated on the label
Labelling Requirements
•Common Name
•Brand or trade name
•List of Ingredients
•Net Quantity
• Identity & Place of Business
•Country of Origin
•Grade & Colour Class Designation
•Type Height for Net Quantity
•# Containers within bulk container
•Lot Number
Lot Number
•Required on domestic honey that is packed in a bulk
container.
•This information must appear with a minimum type
size height of 9.5 mm on at least one end or side of
the container
Other Required Markings
• the word "liquid"
• the word "creamed“ indicating contents are
granulated
• the word "pasteurized“ if treated in a registered
pasteurizing establishment
Labelling Assistance
• Crystal Anderson-Baggs – Market Development Officer
• Design logos & graphics for labels
• Leona Raymond – Food Safety Coordinator
• Label specifics, nutritional labeling, sterilization procedures,
food safety training
• Printing of labels is the producer's responsibility!
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Regulates federally registered honey establishments and honey imported into Canada to verify that honey is safe and wholesome, properly packaged and labelled according to the regulatory requirements, and eligible to be traded interprovincially, exported or bear the Canada grade mark.
• Monitors the labelling and selling of honey
Cheryl White
Regional Food Program Officer
Canadian Food Inspection Agency / Government of Canada [email protected] /(709) 772-4655
Exporting Canadian Honey
• Requirements:
• Prepared in a Registered Honey Establishment (under CFIA)
• Appropriate Grade or Standard
• Prescribed containers
• Correct Labelling
• Health and Safety Requirements
• Export Inspection: A person wanting an export certificate (for his own protection or to meet a requirement of an importing country e.g. European Union) shall submit a completed application to the CFIA
• Administrative Inspections: At any time, the CFIA may randomly inspect any honey to ensure that minimum requirements (grade and standard, prescribed containers, labelling and health standards) are met.
Importing Honey & Interprovincial Trade
• Appropriate Grade and Standard
• Prescribed Containers
• Correct Labelling
• Health and Safety Requirements
• The load is accompanied by an Import Declaration form completed in duplicate by the importer
Exemptions - if the import:
• weighs 20 kg or less;
• is part of an immigrant's effects;
• is carried on any means of transportation for use as food for the crew or passengers thereof.