{"id":"F2015L00407","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.8.2 – Honey","slug":"f2015l00407","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":315753,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2015L00407-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-08","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.8.2 – Honey","content":"![Description: FS_Logo_K](image.001.png)\n\nFood Standards (Proposal P1025 – Code Revision) Variation\n\nThe Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand gives notice of the making of this standard under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The Standard commences on 1 March 2016.\n\nDated 25 March 2015\n\n![](image.002.png)\n\nStandards Management Officer\n\nDelegate of the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand\n\n> Note:\n\n> Note: This Standard will be published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. FSC 96 on 10 April 2015.\n\nStandard 2.8.2 Honey\n\nNote 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\nNote 2 The provisions of the Code that apply in New Zealand are incorporated in, or adopted under, the Food Act 2014 (NZ). See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\n2.8.2—1 Name\n\nThis Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.8.2 – Honey.\n\nNote Commencement:  \nThis Standard commences on 1 March 2016, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.\n\n2.8.2—2 Definitions\n\nNote In this Code (see section 1.1.2—3):\n\nhoney means the natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which honey bees collect, transform and combine with specific substances of their own, store and leave in the honey comb to ripen and mature.\n\n2.8.2—3 Requirement for food sold as honey\n\nA food that is sold as ‘honey’ must:\n\n(a) be honey; and\n\n(b) contain:\n\n    (i) no less than 60% reducing sugars; and\n    (ii) no more than 21% moisture.\n\n2.8.2—4 Prescribed name\n\n‘Honey’ is a \\*prescribed name.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument establishes (or revises) the Code’s legal coverage of honey by defining the term, setting minimum reducing sugars and maximum moisture for foods sold as honey, and declaring 'Honey' a prescribed name, with enforcement from the stated commencement date (1 March 2016). These provisions specify the Code’s requirements for honey products rather than leaving them unspecified."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical scope with two clear numeric thresholds (reducing sugars ≥60%, moisture ≤21%) — 2.8.2—3","Single statutory definition of “honey” that determines coverage and may drive disputes over borderline products — 2.8.2—2","No analytical methods or testing protocols specified in the text, creating potential compliance and enforcement ambiguity about measurement — 2.8.2—3","Labelling consequence: 'Honey' is a prescribed name, which constrains product naming and packaging decisions — 2.8.2—4","Cross-jurisdiction application noted (Australia and New Zealand references), so enforcement and adoption rely on separate domestic implementation — Notes and section 1.1.1—3","Fixed commencement date creates a discrete compliance deadline for industry and regulators — 2.8.2—1"],"plain_english_summary":"This standard defines “honey” and requires that any food sold as honey must actually be honey and contain at least 60% reducing sugars and no more than 21% moisture. \n\nIt affects honey producers, packers, importers and retailers by imposing these compositional limits and a prescribed name, and gives regulators a legal basis to enforce compliance from the stated commencement date."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This standard appears to maintain its original narrow scope: defining honey and setting basic compositional standards. It has not expanded beyond its core purpose of ensuring honey authenticity and quality."},"complexity_factors":["Very short: only 4 operative sections plus notes","Only 1 defined term ('honey') with a single, straightforward definition","No cross-references to other standards except incidental references to commencement provisions","Simple conditional structure: two numerical thresholds (60% minimum, 21% maximum) with no exceptions or nested conditions","No penalty provisions, enforcement mechanisms, or procedural requirements in this instrument"],"plain_english_summary":"This law defines \"honey\" as the natural bee‑produced sweet substance and makes \"honey\" a protected name: products may only be sold as honey in Australia and New Zealand if they meet minimum quality limits (at least 60% reducing sugars and no more than 21% moisture). It affects beekeepers, manufacturers, importers, retailers and consumers by preventing adulterated or watered‑down products, reducing spoilage risk, and harmonising the standard across both countries."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/f2015l00407","history":"/api/acts/f2015l00407/history","analysis":"/api/acts/f2015l00407/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/f2015l00407/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/f2015l00407/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/f2015l00407/documents"}}