- FDA has released the results of sampling conducted on domestic and imported honey in 2025 for economically motivated adulteration. The Agency found that 4% of the 102 honey samples tested were adulterated with undeclared added sweeteners.
- According to FDA, “honey” commonly refers to “the thick, sweet, syrupy substance that bees make from the nectar of plants or their secretions and store in honeycombs.” Honey becomes adulterated through economic motivation when less expensive sweeteners, such as syrups derived from sugarcane, corn, rice, or sugar beets, are added to honey and not declared.
- In fiscal year 2025, FDA collected and tested 54 domestic and 48 imported honey samples from either bulk shipments or retail containers labeled as “honey.” The Agency used Stable Carbon Isotope Ratio Analysis to analyze each sample and its protein extract. Of the samples collected, 2 domestic and 2 imported samples—4% of the total—were violative. This percentage is slightly lower than in previous sampling assignments conducted in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
- For the violative samples, FDA worked with the domestic firms on corrective actions, including voluntary recall, and placed the importing firms on Import Alert 99-47, “Detention Without Physical Examination of Human Food Products That Appear to be Adulterated for Economic Gain.”
- FDA noted that the results of the sampling show that honey is “susceptible to economically motivated adulteration.” Although adding undeclared sweeteners to honey does not pose a public health risk, FDA reiterated the importance of truthful, non-deceptive food labels. Honey with added sweeteners should be labeled as a “blend” with all components declared in an ingredient statement.
- Keller and Heckman will continue to report on similar FDA sampling activities.