Honey
Source-grounded narrative on this page is populated incrementally from the routed source pages per CLAUDE.md Part 9; the evidence-summary table is regenerated by the source-routing layer as sources accumulate.
Who this page is for
This page is for brand legal, retailer-compliance, regulator, and HMTc staff readers who need the current literature record for Honey. It is a public evidence surface, not a certification-threshold table. Brand and retailer readers should use it to see which cited sources actually support this product row, while HMTc staff should use it to keep row fit, market, basis, and analyte species visible before any standards-workbench use.
Methodology
This page follows the Part 6 product-page rules: values stay in the source-reported basis, non-detect handling follows the source, and analyte species are not substituted. Produce and food evidence is kept jurisdiction- and market-aware, with fresh, dried, canned, infused, or processed forms separated when basis changes. Public wiki prose summarizes the literature; percentile math and HMTc candidate limits remain in the staff workbench.
Literature Evidence Summary
Literature Evidence Summary
The table below summarizes what the peer-reviewed and government literature cited on this page reports for heavy-metal concentrations in Honey. Values are pulled directly from cited sources without re-aggregation; pooling, percentile selection, and threshold math sit in the staff Standards Workbench rather than this public page.
Methodology rules for speciation, basis preservation, non-detect handling, and source pooling are stated in the Methodology section above and apply to every row below.
| Analyte | Subcategory | Reported concentration range | Detection rate | Applicable regulatory cap | Sources | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pb | Honey (no contributing evidence loaded) | No concentration data loaded for this analyte | Sample-level detection rate not reported | No applicable cap loaded | 0 | data gap | Basis not reported |
| Cd | Honey (no contributing evidence loaded) | No concentration data loaded for this analyte | Sample-level detection rate not reported | No applicable cap loaded | 0 | data gap | Basis not reported |
| Ni | Honey (no contributing evidence loaded) | No concentration data loaded for this analyte | Sample-level detection rate not reported | No applicable cap loaded | 0 | data gap | Basis not reported |
| Cr | Honey (no contributing evidence loaded) | No concentration data loaded for this analyte | Sample-level detection rate not reported | No applicable cap loaded | 0 | data gap | Basis not reported |
Source Evidence Inventory
Routed sources are still sparse, so this page preserves the product row and waits for the source-routing layer to add citations. At this synthesis stage, the inventory is used to distinguish direct finished-product occurrence data from broader dietary, ingredient, exposure, or review context. Sources that do not resolve product form, jurisdiction, basis, or analyte species remain visible here but should not be treated as benchmark-ready rows until structured extraction and routing confirm fit.
Broad Product Context: Author-Scope Index
Pending: regenerated by tools/evidence/apply-product-broad-context.mjs once broad-scope sources route to this page.
Federal/Regulatory Limits vs Field Findings
Pending: regenerated by tools/apply-product-crosswalk-sections.mjs once applicable_regulations are identified and field-finding evidence is pooled.
Levers to reduce contamination
The practical control levers for Honey start with product identity and lot-level evidence: keep the product form, ingredient contributors, market, and analytical basis attached to each test result. Sourcing and formulation controls should focus on ingredients or mineral/colorant/botanical inputs named by the routed sources, while finished-product testing remains the check on combined formulation, processing, and packaging effects. Where the current sources are review or exposure-context sources, the immediate lever is better row-specific occurrence testing rather than broad cross-category inference.
How standards math uses this page
The percentile arithmetic that informs HMTc thresholds lives in data/workbench/standards/honey.md (the staff snapshot). This public page reports literature evidence; the staff workbench applies the methodology in CLAUDE.md Part 19 to produce candidate threshold values. The gap between literature-baseline and HMTc threshold is named honestly on the workbench, not hidden.
Historical recalls and enforcement
No row-specific public recall or enforcement synthesis has been promoted for Honey in this pass. Regulatory references on this page should be read as context unless a source ties an event to this exact product scope and analyte. Future enforcement prose should remain event-framed and should not convert source mentions into brand rankings.
Sources
Auto-generated from source-page frontmatter. The “Used on this page for” column is populated by the orchestrator’s POPULATE-SOURCE-LEGEND action; pending entries appear as *[awaiting synthesis]*.
| # | Citation | Year | Type | Used on this page for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teferi et al. 2026. Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination and Associated Health Risks in Honey from Kellem Wollega Zone, Ethiopia, Toxics | 2026 | Peer-reviewed | ET Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn occurrence in Composite honey samples from three districts of Kellem Wollega Zone, western Ethiopia (Dambi Dollo, Gawo Kebe, Anafilo); each… (n=3) |
| 2 | Abeslami et al. 2025. Mineral Profile and Heavy Metal Content of Seven Monofloral and Multifloral Honeys from Eastern Morocco, Molecules | 2025 | Peer-reviewed | MA/EU Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu occurrence in 7 honey types (6 monofloral, 1 multifloral) from eastern Morocco (Oujda-Angad and Driouch provinces) |
| 3 | CFIA 2025. Toxic metals in selected foods – April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023: Food chemistry – Targeted surveys – Final report, Canadian Food Inspection Agency | 2025 | Government report | CA tAs, Cd, Pb, tHg concentrations (n=470) |
| 4 | Naccari et al. 2025. Study of Toxic Metals and Microelements in Honey as a Tool to Support Beekeeping Production and Consumer Safety, Foods 2025, 14, 1986 | 2025 | Peer-reviewed | IT Pb, Cd, tAs, Al, Ni, Cr occurrence in Honey samples of five floral varieties (Wildflower n=10, Citrus n=8, Chestnut n=8, Honeydew n=6, Erika n=6) from apiaries… (n=38) |
| 5 | Jr et al. 2025. Elevated Metal Levels in U.S. Honeys: Is There a Concern for Human Health?, Biological Trace Element Research | 2025 | Peer-reviewed | US Pb, Cd, tAs, tHg, Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn occurrence in 28 honey samples purchased from small-scale beekeepers across 15 U.S. states, collected 2022–2023. Table 1 floral-source labels: 19… (n=28) |
| 6 | Knoll et al. 2024. Foraging Activity of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L., 1758) and Exposure to Cadmium: a Review | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | EU/global Cd occurrence in Narrative review; no primary samples. Synthesizes studies on Apis mellifera foraging and Cd exposure pathways. |
| 7 | Margaoan et al. 2024. Environmental pollution effect on honey bees and their derived products: a comprehensive analysis, Environmental Science and Pollution Research | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cr, Ni occurrence in Review study; synthesizes literature on heavy metals and other contaminants in honey, pollen, beeswax, and other bee products;… |
| 8 | Zhang 2024. Molecularly imprinted polymer electrochemical sensor for lead detection in honey, unknown | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | CY Pb occurrence in MIP electrochemical sensor for Pb2+ validated in honey samples; Cyprus context |
| 9 | Aburas et al. 2023. Pollution assessment by estimation of Lead and Cadmium concentrations and some physical properties in a number of types of Libyan Honey, Bani Waleed University Journal of Humanities and Applied Sciences | 2023 | Peer-reviewed | LY Pb, Cd occurrence in Five Libyan honey types or honey-derived samples: thyme, tamarisk/athel, sidr, sugar-solution honey, and black honey (n=5) |
| 10 | USDA 2023. China Releases the Standard for Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods (USDA FAS GAIN Report CH2023-0040, unofficial translation of GB 2762-2022), USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN), Report Number CH2023-0040 | 2023 | Regulation | CN Pb, Cd, tHg, MeHg, tAs, iAs, Sn, Ni, Cr occurrence in null |
| 11 | Limani et al. 2021. Characterization of honey: determination of metal and sugar content, Journal of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences | 2021 | Peer-reviewed | MK/RS Pb, Cd, tAs, Fe, Mn, Al, Cu, Zn, Se, Cr, Ni occurrence in Five unprocessed flower-honey samples from Skopje and Kumanovo in North Macedonia and Preshevo in Serbia, including four beekeeper… (n=5) |
| 12 | Gunes 2021. Chestnut Honey as a Complementary Medicine: Determination of Antibacterial Activity, Heavy Metal Residue and Health Risk Assessment, Journal of Advances in VetBio Science and Techniques | 2021 | Peer-reviewed | TR tAs, Pb, Cd, tHg occurrence in Chestnut honey samples from Yalova Beekeepers Association member beekeepers, Turkey (n=27) |
| 13 | Manouchehri et al. 2021. The Possible Effects of Heavy Metals in Honey as Toxic and Carcinogenic Substances on Human Health: A Systematic Review, Arı Dergisi / Uludag Bee Journal | 2021 | Review | IR/TR/NG Pb, Cd, tHg, Cr, Ni, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, tAs, Mn, Co, Sn occurrence in Systematic review of published literature on heavy metals in honey, drawing from studies in Iran, Turkey, Nigeria, Argentina,… |
| 14 | Shukla et al. 2020. Melissopalynological and physicochemical analysis of honey samples from Prayagraj District, Uttar Pradesh, Acta Palaeobotanica | 2020 | Peer-reviewed | IN Cd, Pb, Cu, tAs occurrence in Honey samples from rural and urban localities of Prayagraj District, Uttar Pradesh (n=14) |
| 15 | Tomczyk et al. 2020. Transfer of some toxic metals from soil to honey depending on bee habitat conditions, Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis Series E: Food Technology | 2020 | Peer-reviewed | PL Cd, Pb, Al, Mn, Ni occurrence in Honeydew, goldenrod, dandelion, rapeseed, and tilia honeys collected from ten apiary sampling points in Podkarpackie, Poland, split between… (n=50) |
| 16 | Salama et al. 2019. Determination of Physicochemical Properties and Toxic Heavy Metals Levels in Honey Samples from West of Libya, Journal of Advanced Chemical Sciences | 2019 | Peer-reviewed | LY Pb, Cd, tHg, tAs occurrence in Bee honey samples from eight locations in western Libya, three samples per locality (n=24) |
| 17 | Aljedani 2017. Determination of Some Heavy Metals and Elements in Honeybee and Honey Samples from Saudi Arabia, Entomology and Applied Science Letters | 2017 | Peer-reviewed | SA Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn occurrence in Honeybee (Apis mellifera jemenatica) and honey samples from four agricultural regions in Saudi Arabia: Jazan (Sabya), Asir (Abha),… (n=8) |
| 18 | Aghamirlou et al. 2015. Heavy metals determination in honey samples using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering | 2015 | Peer-reviewed | IR tAs, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cu occurrence in Multifloral honey samples from four regions of Ardabil province, Iran, collected from individual beekeepers in 2013 (n=25) |
| 19 | Jackson et al. 2012. Arsenic, Organic Foods, and Brown Rice Syrup, Environmental Health Perspectives 120(5):623–626 | 2012 | Peer-reviewed | US iAs, tAs, DMA, MMA occurrence in Commercial products containing organic brown rice syrup (OBRS): 3 OBRS lots, 2 toddler formulas with OBRS, 13 toddler/infant… (n=29) |
| 20 | Zealand 2011. The 23rd Australian Total Diet Study, Food Standards Australia New Zealand | 2011 | Government report | AU/NZ Al, tAs, iAs, Cd, Pb, tHg, iHg, MeHg occurrence in Ninety-two Australian foods and beverages, including tap and bottled water, represented by 570 composite samples; each composite used… (n=570) |
Page history
The five most recent substantive edits to this page. The full version history lives in git; when DOI minting comes online (see schema docs), each entry below will also link to a version-pinned DataCite DOI.
| Commit | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| b0f3d38 | 2026-06-12 | batch | corpus rescreen b04 old terminal skips |