Scope and legal character
The General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed, CXS 193-1995, contains food-specific lead maximum levels. The 2025 edition defines the contaminant as total lead. Codex is an international standard; whether a provision is legally binding in a particular market depends on domestic incorporation. General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CXS 193-1995)
Sugars, syrups and honey
The lead table on page 65 of the 2025 edition combines white and refined sugar, corn and maple syrups, and honey in one row. Its maximum level is 0.1 mg/kg, equivalent to 100 µg/kg, applying to the whole commodity. The remarks refer to the sugar standard CXS 212-1999 and the honey standard CXS 12-1981. This entry is distinct from the adjacent soft-brown/raw-sugar and sugar-based-candy entries. General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CXS 193-1995)
The honey entry is verified in the 2025 edition. An older 2009-amended copy does not contain it and cannot substantiate this particular maximum level. A food-contaminant maximum is not a measured concentration or a universal safety threshold.