December 03, 2025

In March 2023, the European Union (EU) published its “From the Hives” report, revealing significant findings from honey authenticity research conducted between October 2021 and February 2022. The results raised serious concerns about the authenticity of honey imported into Europe, emphasizing the critical need for strong regulatory oversight, advanced authenticity testing, and robust compliance frameworks.

At Maven Regulatory Solutions, we support businesses in the food and agricultural sectors by providing expert regulatory consulting, compliance management, and authenticity testing strategies to ensure transparency, safety, and consumer trust across global markets.

1. Analytical Techniques: Accuracy Defines Trust

The report found a 14% increase in suspicious honey samples compared to 2015. However, it’s important to understand that analytical techniques have evolved dramatically.

Modern tools like Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) now provide unparalleled detection accuracy. These advanced technologies have increased the ability to identify suspicious samples — not necessarily because adulteration is more common, but because testing methods are now far more sensitive and sophisticated.

At Maven, we help manufacturers and importers validate their analytical protocols and align them with EU authenticity testing standards, ensuring defensible results that stand up to regulatory scrutiny.

2. Understanding Terminology: “Suspicious” ≠ “Adulterated”

The EU report classifies certain honey samples as “suspicious”, not definitively “adulterated.”
 This distinction matters. It reflects that further confirmatory tests are needed to determine whether non-compliance is due to adulteration or natural compositional variations in rare honey types.

Maven’s experts assist clients in interpreting analytical findings accurately and preparing technical justifications for regulatory submissions, reducing the risk of misclassification and import rejections.

3. Environmental Factors Can Influence Test Results

Not all anomalies indicate adulteration. Environmental influences—such as local flora near the hive, natural sugar variations, or cross-contamination from nearby crops—can impact honey’s sugar profile, pollen composition, and carbon isotope ratios.

Our consultants provide data interpretation support and help clients design fit-for-purpose authenticity testing programs that consider environmental diversity, ensuring compliance with EU and international food authenticity regulations.

4. Complexity of Honey Testing: No One-Size-Fits-All Approach

There is no single analytical test that can conclusively verify honey’s authenticity, quality, and safety.

Instead, the selection of test methods depends on origin, production practices, and supply chain conditions.
 Maven Regulatory Solutions works closely with laboratories and honey producers to develop customized test plans, ensuring results meet both scientific and regulatory expectations.

We guide clients through Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), data documentation, and regulatory dossier preparation — helping businesses stay audit-ready and globally compliant.

5. The Importance of Stricter Analytical Limits

The EU report highlights that the testing limits used were more stringent than those commonly applied by commercial laboratories. This reinforces the need for tight analytical controls and standardized threshold criteria to ensure reliable results.

Maven Regulatory Solutions advises clients on establishing robust quality systems, implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and defining testing thresholds aligned with EFSA and EU Commission expectations.

Conclusion: Strengthening the Integrity of the Honey Supply Chain

Honey authenticity isn’t just about compliance — it’s about preserving consumer trust, brand reputation, and product integrity.

By combining scientific precision, regulatory intelligence, and global compliance expertise, Maven Regulatory Solutions helps businesses safeguard their honey and hive products — from production to market.

Whether it’s honey, royal jelly, propolis, bee pollen, or beeswax, our experts ensure your products meet the highest standards of authenticity, safety, and regulatory excellence.