How to Label Honey

There is nothing like the taste of a sweet spoon of honey. The versatility of honey makes it a very useful item to have around the kitchen, and for that reason, raising honeybees and selling the honey has become increasingly popular.

Did you know there is information that must be included on honey labels for your honey to be sold in Mississippi? How you label your honey is important for the safety of your consumers.

Here is an outline of what must be included:

• Warning Phrase. This warning phrase must be included on every jar of honey sold in Mississippi. The sticker must say “Warning: Do not feed to infants under one year of age”. Placing this warning on every bottle of honey is important because spores from botulin-producing bacteria can be found in some honey. The immune system of infants under the age of one is not yet prepared to protect them from this infection. The botulin-producing bacteria can cause severe illness and even death in infants.
• Address of the Producer. The physical address of the producer must be on the label. Since some producers have used their P.O. Boxes and others have used their street mailing addresses in the past, this regulation now provides uniformity and eases any confusion related to the producer’s location if a problem with the product arises.
• Content Statement. Every bottle of honey sold in Mississippi must contain a content statement that accurately describes the amount of honey in the jar. The weight of the jar must be stated in English and metric units. For example, a jar of honey containing 1 pound of honey should be labeled 16 oz (453.5 grams).
• Nutrition Label. The use of nutrition labels is not yet mandated by the FDA, but it is strongly suggested. Large retail stores are allowed to require nutrition labels before they sell your honey.

Raising honeybees can be fun, and selling the honey can be profitable, but make sure you label it correctly for the safety of your consumers.

For more in-depth information about label requirements for honey, check out Extension Publication 3953, “Honey Inspection and Label Requirements for Retail Markets in Mississippi”.