Whoever produces honey and brings it into circulation is a food producer, and is bound by the appropriate consumer protection regulations (health- and fraud protection). ‘Bringing into circulation’ implies any form of passing on, either in return for payment (sale) or free of charge (as a gift).
An elegant way to fulfil these requirements is to join the Quality Programme of the Swiss Beekeepers Association (Honey Regulations). The Association has drawn up appropriate regulations and directives, and inspects and advises its affiliated members. Beekeepers need not arrange any honey testing themselves, but merely retain reference samples. Sampling and analysis is carried out by the Association. The Honey Regulations contain, in a nutshell, everything that beekeepers need to bear in mind.
Naturally, correct labelling is part and parcel of this. An updated factsheet on correct labelling, approved by the Honey Commission, can be downloaded here:
Merkblatt zur Kennzeichnung von Honig (German) (PDF, 18 kB, 14.09.2016) Factsheet on the Labelling of Honey
Mindesthalbarkeit auch für Honig vorgeschrieben (German (PDF, 43 kB, 14.09.2016), French (PDF, 44 kB, 15.09.2016) and Italian (PDF, 43 kB, 14.09.2016)) Best-by Dates also Required for Honey
P. Gallmann (2007)
Of course, the legal requirements can also be met without participating in the Industry quality programme. Important here is the exercise of due diligence, and the appropriate documentation of the relevant beekeeping measures: treatments, resources used, honey production and honey quality.
The ‘Mountain and Alpine’ Ordinance governs the use of the terms ‘mountain’ and ‘alpine’ to describe agricultural products, including honey. Mountain and alpine honey sold at points of sale must be certified by a recognised certification authority. Honey which the beekeeper sells direct to the consumer is exempt from compulsory certification.
Publications Christina Kast
Lucchetti M., Kilchenmann V., Glauser G., Praz C., Kast C.
Nursing protects honeybee larvae from secondary metabolites of pollen.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285, (1875), 2018, 1-8.
Kast C.
Composants végétaux indésirables dans les produits apicoles (Partie 4). A quel moment de l’année les abeilles récoltent-elles du pollen contenant des alcaloïdes pyrrolizidiniques?
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, (3), 2018, 50-53.
autres langues: allemand
Kast C.
Composants végétaux indésirables dans les produits apicoles (Partie 3): Analyses d’alcaloïdes pyrrolizidiniques dans le pollen suisse.
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 3, 2018, 44-49.
autres langues: allemand
Kast C.
Composants végétaux indésirables dans les produits apicoles (Partie 1). Analyses d’alcaloïdes pyrrolizidiniques dans le miel suisse..
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 1-2, 2018, 26-30.
autres langues: allemand
Gehring E., Kast C., Kilchenmann V., Bieri K., Gehrig R., Pezzatti G.B., Conedera M.
Impact of the Asian Chestnut Gall Wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae), on the chestnut component of honey in the Southern Swiss Alps.
Journal of Economic Entomology, 111, (1), 2018, 43-52.
Kast C., Kilchenmann V., Reinhard H., Droz B., Lucchetti M., Dübecke A., Beckh G., Zoller O.
Chemical fingerprinting identifies Echium vulgare, Eupatorium cannabinum and Senecio spp. as plant species mainly responsible for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in bee-collected pollen.
Food Additives & Contaminants. Part A, 35, (2), 2018, 316-327.
Charrière J.-D., Dainat B., Dietemann V., Droz B., Jeker L., Kast C., Parejo M.
Centre de recherche apicole : Rapport annuel 2016.
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 138, (11-12), 2017, 41-53.
autres langues: allemand | italien
Zumbrunn S., Guggenbühl B., Kast C.
Dégustation de miels à l’occasion de la journée Portes ouvertes du Centre de recherche apicole.
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 138, (10), 2017, 25-28.
autres langues: allemand | italien
Kast C., Roetschi A.
Evaluation of baker’s yeast in honey using a real-time PCR assay.
Food Microbiology, 62, 2017, 282-288.
Despland C., Walther B., Kast C., Campos V., Rey V., Stefanoni N., Tappy L.
A randomized-controlled clinical trial of high fructose diets from either Robinia honey or free fructose and glucose in healthy normal weight males.
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, online, (17 March), 2017, e1-e7.
Kast C., Kilchenmann V., Roetschi A.
Des levures de boulanger dans le miel?
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 3, 2017, 39-41.
autres langues: allemand
Charrière J.-D., Kast C., Dietemann V.
Centre de recherche apicole : Rapport annuel 2015.
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 137, (8), 2016, 27-37.
autres langues: allemand | italien
Lucchetti M. A., Glauser G., Kilchenmann V., Dübecke A., Beckh G., Praz C., Kast C.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Echium vulgare in honey originate primarily from floral nectar.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 64, (25), 2016, 5267-5273.
Kast C., Lucchetti M.
In Kroatien trafen sich Qualitätsexperten.
Schweizerische Bienen-Zeitung, 138, (2), 2015, 26.
Kast C., Koller M.
Miel de montagne et miel d'alpage.
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 7, 2015, 20-21.
autres langues: allemand
Arrigoni E., Kast C., Walther B.
Effects of dietary sugars from natural sources on health outcomes.
Dans: Dietary Sugars and Health. 2015, Ed. Goran M. I., Tappy L., Lê K.-A., CRC Press, Boca Raton FL. 2015, 59-79.
Mühlemann M., Gille D., Kast C., Dübecke A.
Keine Pyrrolizidin Alkaloide in Schweizer Milch.
Alimenta, 01, 2015, 24.
Kast C., Ritter R.
Comment maitriser la teneur en eau du miel?
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 8, 2014, 24-27.
autres langues: allemand | italien
Kast C., Freiburghaus C., Badertscher R., Simonet L., Ritter R.
Analyses du miel de 2013 dans le cadre du programme du label de qualité d'apisuisse.
Revue Suisse d'apiculture, 8, 2014, 19-23.
autres langues: allemand | italien
Kast C., Dübecke A., Kilchenmann V., Bieri K., Böhlen M., Zoller O., Beckh G., Lüllmann C.
Analysis of Swiss honeys for pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
Journal of Apicultural Research, 53, (1), 2014, 75-83.
Official Inspection
The monitoring of primary production is subject to the cantonal veterinary offices. The enforcement, i.e. the implementation of food law falls within the remit of the cantonal food-inspection authorities, specifically, that of the cantonal chemist. Consumers can send suspicious honey to the responsible cantonal chemist. For quality assessment, the legal requirements – particularly the VLtH (Verordnung des EDI über Lebensmittel tierischer Herkunft) – are consulted.
International
Internationally, the analysis of bee products is coordinated by the International Honey Commission.
Harmonised methods of the International Honey Commission (PDF, 510 kB, 24.09.2016)
Honey Quality, Methods of Analysis and International Regulatory Standards: Review of the Work of the International Honey Commission (PDF, 70 kB, 14.09.2016)
S. Bogdanov et al. (2000)
The Codex Alimentarius (international food standards) governs the international standards for honey. Search under ‘honey’ on the website.
Further Honey Analysis Methods
Honig, Kapitel 23A des ehemaligen Schweizerischen Lebensmittelbuches (German (PDF, 247 kB, 14.09.2016) and French (PDF, 242 kB, 15.09.2016)) Honey, Chapter 23A of the former Swiss Food Book
Honiguntersuchungsmethoden: Auszug aus dem ehemaligen Schweizerischen Lebensmittelbuches (German) (PDF, 285 kB, 14.09.2016) Honey-Testing Methods: Excerpt from the Former Swiss Food Book
