Jar label's

[Monsieur Abeille]

"best before?" - as edible honey was found dating from the time of the pyramids, are you marking them "best before 6510"?

As mentioned previously, its a food standards labelling requirement.

Interested to hear how long people stretch it for though. I've not actually put on a best before label yet, but if I did I think at least two years. What do others do?

 

[Mike a]

As mentioned previously, its a food standards labelling requirement.

Interested to hear how long people stretch it for though. I've not actually put on a best before label yet, but if I did I think at least two years. What do others do?

I put two years as well on my labels on the underside of the jar with either SP or SU which denotes if the honey is from the spring flow or summer flow. I haven't put hives on the heather as yet but I think I would create a whole new label specially for heather honey.

 

[oliver90owner]

"best before?"

This is another case of reading properly.

Not 'use by', 'display by' or anything other than 'best before'.

It may, or may not, be as good after this time period dependent on storage conditions etc. The future date restriction is one set by Trading Standards(?), I believe, and is usually 18 months at most?

The honey from the pyramids may well still have been edible, but may very well have been past it's best. For instance there was no limit on HMF in those days!!

As the story goes, it was actually unfit for (modern day) human consumption as it had been in contact with human skin for the whole period of storage!( a baby had been bathing in it for 3000(?) years)

Regards, RAB

 

[RoofTops]

I just put a lot number on so I am not tied to a specific date. This meets the requirement as well. The system I use is a couple of letters to show the apiary then a sort of date, e.g. FF179 means Fowlescombe Farm, first extraction of July in 2009.

 

[Rosti]

Roof Tops, sorry but in pedantic legal terms you must include an indication of minimum durability. Simply including a manufacture date and allowing the consumer to make a judgement on safety and high quality life is not acceptable in the eyes of the law (Food Labelling Regs 1996 + ammends - regs 20-22)

For what it is worth I use 'best before end' format and label at 17-18 months life (i.e Best Before End: MMM-YY)

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Jim I think you will find that most of the labelling rules still apply even if you give it away for free.

Just checked the BBKA leaflet (I'm sure I'd read Rooftops suggestion of just a Lot number before, but doesnt look like it) and it says, re what jimbeekeeper referred to earlier:

For direct sales like farmers markets or sales at the door Lot numbers and
‘Best before’ date are not needed

 

[MuswellMetro]

Roof Tops, sorry but in pedantic legal terms you must include an indication of minimum durability. Simply including a manufacture date and allowing the consumer to make a judgement on safety and high quality life is not acceptable in the eyes of the law (Food Labelling Regs 1996 + ammends - regs 20-22)

For what it is worth I use 'best before end' format and label at 17-18 months life (i.e Best Before End: MMM-YY)

how does this tie in with the FAQ statement on their web site

Are there any perishable foods which don't need a "use by" date?

Some foods are specifically exempt from the requirement to carry a date mark. These are listed in regulation 22 of the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. Some are exempt from the date marking requirement because they are exempt generally from the labelling provisions of Part II of those Regulations. The labelling of such foods is generally governed by separate legislation (eg on honey, coffee, and chocolate) which does not require a date mark to be given. And some are exempt from carrying a date mark because of the conditions in which they are sold (eg because they are sold loose or prepacked for direct sale).

 

[Rosti]

MM, I hope this helps.

The differentiation is between the minimum you 'have' to do and the minimum 'you should' do to minimise legal liability and informing the consumer. Prosecution often follows the second test not the first (granted I am used to working this at a corporate level where burden of proof and duty of care expectation is higher). I hope the following explains the position for a minimal standard sole trader (which is what a beek is).

The only way you are allowed to sell without a Lot number is if you sell from the same premises that you pack. As soon as you go to any other option then you must Lot Mark (strictly speaking that includes delivering a jar of honey to a friend for free [strictly the law applies even if you dont charge for the honey] but only a real FST jobsworth would apply that).

FSA guidance notes state that a ‘best before’ is recommended. For recommended read ‘if you don’t do so then you (as the producer) must justify your position’ – you must make a valid defence and justify why you did not, rather than the authorities making an extended valid prosecution case; you must still be able to demonstrate a defence of all reasonable precautions and all due diligence (Food Safety Act) in any case.

In summary unless you make a clear statement that closes a customers expectation for a high quality product life your liability for the quality of the honey you have sold is open ended. Since you must have a Lot number to do anything but sell / give-away from the door it makes sense to present this ‘lot number’ as a ‘best before date’ present in the same field of view as the name ‘Honey’ and the job is done. Legal compliance under any selling option / location and a neat time closure with regard ongoing quality expectation/liability.

There is no point 'bloody mindedly' sticking to the 'minimum I must do' If you can simply modify your approach for absolutely no personal pain or increased effort and grant yourself improved due diligence protection.

 

[SixFooter]

If you buy labels from a printer as opposed to printing them yourself, how do you maintain the lot numbers? Do you print them on yourself or just buy more than you need for each lot?

 

[SixFooter]

My labels are very like les etiquettes de Monsieur Abeille.
I may even modify mine to be more like his!

 

[oliver90owner]

Rosti,

As you seem to be the resident expert on these things, a quick question about the word 'waterproof'.

Is this clearly defined?

Regards, RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

just poped into the local garden centre to see what price the are selling honey and it is £3-99 for half a pound of Paynes ~English Honey, new batch just in with a Best Before date of 17 July 2012

so assume they are using two years from bottle date rather than 18mths

 

[Jimmy]

If you buy labels from a printer as opposed to printing them yourself, how do you maintain the lot numbers? Do you print them on yourself or just buy more than you need for each lot?

I think Maisemore (and others) will print labels with a sequential number series on them.

eg If you order 1000 labels, they can print them numbered 1 - 1000, or whichever number series you fancy.
When you come to label your bottled honey, I understand it is acceptable to have this as your lot number provided that you have kept a record of the honey that went into the jar.
So far my 2010 harvest I would have recorded this information:

Labels numbered 1 - 120 spring OSR honey, extracted, processed and bottled in June 2010
Numbers 121 - 180 summer honey, extracted, processed and bottled in August 2010.

I would then use numbers 181 onwards for my 2011 honey harvest.

 

[SixFooter]

Ah. That makes sense

 

[RoofTops]

I overprint mine with the lot number having made up a template. It was a bit of a faff getting it all to line up at first but now very easy to print lot numbers on the label sheets. I just use a search and replace to change the last set to what ever lot number is needed now.

 

[Dishmop]

Print them on thin 130 photo paper.

 

[Rosti]

If you buy labels from a printer as opposed to printing them yourself, how do you maintain the lot numbers? Do you print them on yourself or just buy more than you need for each lot?

I have a 'layers' template set up on photoshop and modify before a print run.

 

[Rosti]

Rosti,

As you seem to be the resident expert on these things, a quick question about the word 'waterproof'.

Is this clearly defined?

Regards, RAB

RAB I think that in 'domestic' terms there is no such thing as a waterproof label. I am not aware of a definition - though one may exisit (presumably it would go along the lines of resists water ingress when submerged at a depth of 'x' for a duration of 'y') I have not come across it. 'Splash proof' is probably as much as the amateur can hope for but for a product like honey that is designed to be kept in ambient dry storage that is not an unreasonable standard and could be argued as duly diligent. The ink is probably the most vulnerable element in the process hence heat or (if you are very lucky/posh) UV cured lazer powder inks are more water durable than an 'ink-jet' liquid ink that 'passively' air dries. When designing for chilled food use (cold, humid storage) we would always specify UV fixed inks, high density polished paper and a final UV varnish coating (with an unvarnished window for the date code to be added). As 'home printers' we could never duplicate that level of protection (which is still not water proof). Regards, R

 

[Dishmop]

Spray the labels with clear laqueur from car parts shop.

I sell repro WW2 paperwork on a well known auction site and this works very well.

 

[oliver90owner]

'waterproof'.

Thanks, Rosti,

I was under the impression it was simply the ink running, if water soluble (or suspended) that was the problem. Err, like if it rains on the shopping and the 'best before date' or lot number becomes illegible....

Regards, RAB