The International Honey Commission - World Network of Honey and Bee Product Science
An International Honey Commission (IHC) was formed in 1990 in order, to create a new world honey standard.
All modern routine honey analysis methods were collaboratively tested and compiled as "Harmonised methods of the European Honey Commission", published in
Apidologie, extra issue, 1-59, 1997.
Based on these method the Codex Alimentarius Standard and the EU Honey Directive were
revised.
Next, the major European unifloral honeys were characterised in a special issue of Apidoligie (2004), allowing the international trade with these honeys.
Presently the IHC is chaired by Gudrun
Beckh, Germany, co-chairs are Teresa Sancho, Spain; Ligia Bicudo, Brazil and Vikas Nanda, India.
Current Objectives of the IHC
The specific current objectives of the IHC are
-
To work out better and new analysis methods of honey and the other bee products
-
To inform members of the group on current aspects of quality and control of honey and other bee products
-
To work out standards for other bee products besides honey
- To work out quality criteria for specific honeydew honeys