Glossary
The regulations and common terms governing how honey is described and marketed on product labels. Terms like 'raw,' 'pure,' 'organic,' 'local,' and 'natural' have varying levels of regulatory definition, and understanding what each actually guarantees helps consumers make informed choices.
Honey labeling in the United States is governed by a patchwork of federal (FDA, USDA) and state regulations, supplemented by industry standards and marketing conventions. Some terms on a honey label carry specific, enforceable meaning. Others are essentially marketing language with no standardized definition.
"Organic" honey must meet USDA organic certification standards, which require that the bees' primary foraging area be free of synthetic pesticides and that the beekeeper uses no prohibited substances in hive management. Achieving true organic certification is difficult because bees forage over a 2 to 3 mile radius, and controlling land use within that circle is nearly impossible in most agricultural areas.
"Grade A" has a specific USDA definition involving flavor, clarity, moisture content, and absence of defects, as defined by the voluntary USDA grading program.
"Raw" has no federal legal definition for honey. The general industry understanding is that raw honey has not been heated above natural hive temperatures (approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit) and has not been finely filtered. Different producers interpret this differently.
"Pure" simply means the product is 100% honey with no added ingredients (no corn syrup, no sugar). It says nothing about whether the honey is raw, heated, filtered, or blended from multiple sources.
"Local" has no regulatory definition. It typically implies the honey was produced within a reasonable distance from the point of sale, but "reasonable distance" varies from 25 miles to 200 miles depending on who you ask.
No. There is no federal legal definition for 'raw' honey in the United States. The term generally indicates unheated and minimally filtered, but different producers apply different standards. Buying directly from a beekeeper who can explain their processing methods gives you more assurance than a label alone.
'Pure' means 100% honey with no added sweeteners or ingredients. It does not indicate the honey is raw, unheated, or unfiltered. A jar of heavily processed, pasteurized, ultra-filtered honey from unknown sources can be legally labeled 'pure' as long as no non-honey ingredients were added.
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