Baker’s honey is the EU legal designation for honey that does not meet the composition standards for table honey, typically due to elevated HMF from heating or fermentation, and is restricted to use as an ingredient in cooked or baked foods.
In trade practice
Under EU honey legislation, baker’s honey must be labelled with the statement indicating it is intended for cooking only, and this designation must appear on bulk commercial documents accompanying the shipment. Buyers in the food manufacturing sector source baker’s honey as a cost-effective ingredient for biscuits, cereals and confectionery, where the elevated HMF level is not a concern after further processing. Suppliers must ensure laboratory certificates confirm the parameters that place the honey in this category. Mislabelling baker’s honey as table honey is a compliance and fraud risk that border authorities and buyers’ QA teams check for.
In a specification
Purchase specifications and contracts identify the product as baker’s honey, reference the applicable EU honey directive or its national transposition, and require the mandatory label statement and supporting analytical certificate.