Preventing Sugar-Based Honey from Being Passed Off as Natural Honey... Implementation of the 'Natural Honey Grading System'

Full Implementation of Honey Grading System from the 27th
Grades '1+, 1, 2' Assigned to Natural Honey

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 26th that it will officially implement a honey grading system starting from the 27th to improve the quality of domestically produced natural honey.

The honey grading system applies to domestic natural honey such as acacia honey, chestnut honey, and mixed flower honey. When producers or packaging companies apply for grading, the Beekeeping Association and Beekeeping Cooperative first conduct standard inspections including moisture content and verification of natural honey. For honey that passes, the Animal Products Quality Evaluation Service conducts a second quality assessment and assigns a final grade of '1+, 1, or 2'.

The honey grading system is applied only to domestic natural honey, allowing domestically produced honey to be distinguished from imported honey through grading. It also effectively prevents feeding honey derived from cane sugar or beet sugar (such as sugar) from being disguised as natural honey, and is expected to encourage the production of high-grade honey, thereby improving quality.

At the 'Honey Grade Promotion and Natural Honey Consumption Promotion Event' held at Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch, a consumer is checking the grade labeling and QR code of honey products.

To ensure accurate grading and management, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has introduced 23 types of analytical equipment necessary for standard and quality inspections, established a traceability and information provision system, and secured dedicated personnel including 27 honey quality evaluators.

Kim Jeong-wook, Director of Livestock Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "We hope the honey grading system will contribute to the premiumization and differentiation of domestic natural honey and reassure consumers. We will also thoroughly manage post-grading to ensure that graded honey gains consumer trust."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.