Section 29413 Of Article 1. Definitions From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 13. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 1.
29413
. (a) "Honey" means the natural sweet substance produced by
honeybees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living
parts of plants or excretions of plant sucking insects on the living
parts of plants, which the bees collect, transform by combining with
specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store, and
leave in the honeycomb to ripen and mature.
(b) "Blossom honey" or "nectar honey" means the honey that comes
from nectars of plants.
(c) "Honeydew honey" means the honey that comes mainly from
excretions of plant sucking insects (Hemiptera) on living parts of
plants or secretions of living parts of plants.
(d) Honey consists essentially of different sugars, predominantly
fructose and glucose as well as other substances such as organic
acids, enzymes, and solid particles derived from honey collection.
The color of honey can vary from nearly colorless to dark brown. The
consistency can be fluid, viscous, or partially to completely
crystallized. The flavor and aroma vary, but are derived from plant
origin.
(e) Honey sold as described in subdivision (d) shall not have
added to it any food ingredient, including food additives, nor shall
any other additions be made other than honey. Honey shall not have
any objectionable matter, flavor, aroma, or taint absorbed from
foreign matter during its processing and storage. Honey shall not
have begun to ferment or effervesce and no pollen or constituent
particular to honey may be removed except where unavoidable in the
removal of foreign inorganic or organic matter.
(f) Honey shall meet the following standards:
(1) Honey shall not be heated or processed to such an extent that
its essential composition is changed or its quality is impaired.
(2) Chemical or biochemical treatments shall not be used to
influence honey crystallization.
(3) Honey shall not contain more than 20 percent moisture content
and for heather honey not more than 23 percent.
(4) Honey shall contain not less than 60 percent fructose and
glucose, combined.
(5) Honeydew honey and blends of honeydew honey with blossom honey
shall not contain less than 45 percent fructose and glucose,
combined.
(6) Blossom honey shall not contain more than 5 percent sucrose,
except for the following:
(A) Alfalfa (Medicago saliva), citrus spp., false acacia (Robinia
pseudoacacia), French honeysuckle (Hedysarum), Menzies banksias
(Banksia menziesii), red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), leatherwood
(Eucryphia lucida), and Eucryphia milligani may contain up to 10
percent sucrose.
(B) Lavender (Lavandula spp.) and borage (Borago officinalis) may
contain up to 15 percent sucrose.
(7) The water insoluble solids content for honey other than
pressed honey shall not be more than 0.1g/100g. The content for
pressed honey shall not be more than 0.5g/100g.