Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is seeking public comment on the sale and use of honey produced by Australian native stingless bees.
The move comes after the Australian Native Bee Association Inc submitted an application for the adjustment of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to accept honey produced by native stingless bees as a standardised food.
“The current definition of honey in the code is appropriate to European honeybees, however honey produced by stingless bees has different sugar and moisture content so does not meet the current compositional requirements for honey,” said Sandra Cuthbert, CEO of FSANZ.
“The application seeks to distinguish these compositional requirements in the code and establish a definition that is more appropriate for native bee honey.”
FSANZ has conducted an assessment and concluded that consuming native bee honey at the requested compositional limits does not present health risks, if beekeepers apply good hygienic practices.
The call for public comment will remain open until January 17.
