Ingredients A–ZSeasoningsChecked 2026-09-30
Honey はちみつ
Food ingredientUsed in 3 products on this site
A sweet substance that honeybees make by collecting flower nectar, storing it in the comb, and ripening it. In the Food Labeling Standards, it is classified as one of the “other livestock processed foods” among processed foods (Appended Table 1).
How it appears on labels
| On the label (Japanese) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| はちみつ | honey |
| はちみつ（アルゼンチン、ハンガリー） | honey (Argentina, Hungary) |
| はちみつ（国産） | honey (domestic, produced in Japan) |
| アカシアはちみつ | acacia honey |
| 蜂蜜 | honey (written with the kanji 蜂蜜) |
Labeling rules
- The industry's Fair Competition Code for labeling of honey products (the Honey Fair Trade Council, 全国はちみつ公正取引協議会) defines honey as “a natural sweet substance that honeybees collect from the nectar of plants, store in the comb cells, and ripen,” that meets set properties and composition standards (moisture of 20% or less [22% or less for Japanese-produced honey], a total of fructose and glucose of 60 g or more per 100 g, and so on) (Code Article 2 and Appended Table). Businesses that take part in this code must label according to the code in addition to the Food Labeling Standards (the Consumer Affairs Agency's Q&A on the Food Labeling Standards, 加工-274).
- The ingredient name is written as “はちみつ” (honey) or the like, followed in parentheses by the country where the honey was collected. Japan is written “国産” (domestic), and foreign countries are written “○○産” (product of ○○) or just the country name. If there are several countries, they are listed in descending order of weight, and when there are three or more, up to the second may be listed and the rest grouped as “その他” (others) (the Code's Enforcement Rules, Article 2). “国産” may be written only when all of the honey used was collected in Japan (Code Article 4).
- When showing “純粋” (pure), “天然” (natural), “生” (raw), “完熟” (fully ripened), “ピュア” (pure), or “ナチュラル” (natural), the wording is to be unified to “純粋” or “Pure” (Code Article 4), and “純粋” and “Pure” must not be shown on anything other than honey products (Enforcement Rules, Article 3). The Council explains “純粋” as meaning that nothing other than honey is mixed in.
- The same Enforcement Rules (Article 2, paragraph 2) require the package to carry a statement such as “1歳未満の乳児には与えないで下さい。” (Do not give to infants under 1 year old.), and prohibit labeling that could lead people to think heating makes it safe. The Q&A on the Food Labeling Standards (加工-274) also says that it is desirable to include this caution.
- In country-of-origin labeling of ingredients in processed foods, when the ingredient name is “はちみつ” it is treated as a fresh food and the origin is written as “○○産” (product of ○○), and when it is “精製はちみつ” (refined honey) it is treated as a processed food and the place of manufacture is written as “○○製造” (made in ○○) (Q&A 原原-51).
- With the May 2019 revision of the Code, sweetened honey (加糖はちみつ), refined honey (精製はちみつ), and similar products were removed from the Code's “はちみつ類” (honey products) (the Council's explanation).
Good to know
- The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) states that infants under 1 year old who eat honey can develop infant botulism, and that botulinum spores are not killed by ordinary heating or cooking. It urges people not to give honey, or drinks and sweets containing honey, to babies under 1 year old.
- Among the products on this site, the honey from Nisshin Mitsubachi (日新蜂蜜) has the ingredient name “はちみつ（アルゼンチン、ハンガリー）” (honey (Argentina, Hungary)), which means there is more Argentine honey by weight. The label carries a note in red that it should not be given to infants under 1 year old.
- In the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th revised edition, 2023 supplement), honey has 329 kcal and 81.9 g of carbohydrate per 100 g.
Food composition data
| Honey (per 100 g) | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Carbohydrate (g) | Salt equivalent (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HoneyFood No. 03022 | 329 | 0.3 | Tr | 81.9 | 0 |
| Honey, domestic productFood No. 03033 | 328 | 0.1 | Tr | 81.7 | 0 |
Per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: MEXT, Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th revised edition, 2023 supplement).
Products on this site that contain it
| Product | As written on the label |
|---|---|
| 黄金の味 中辛エバラ食品 | 蜂蜜 |
| バーモントカレー 中辛ハウス食品 | はちみつ（メキシコ産、アルゼンチン産） |
| 純粋アルゼンチン＆ハンガリー産はちみつ日新蜂蜜 | はちみつ（アルゼンチン、ハンガリー） |
Product pages are in Japanese for now; each one reads every ingredient on the label.
Related pages
Sources
- Fair Competition Code for labeling of honey and its enforcement rules — National Honey Fair Trade Council
- Fair Competition Code (overview) — National Honey Fair Trade Council
- Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old — MHLW
- Food Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) — e-Gov Japanese Law Search
- Q&A on the Food Labeling Standards (revised March 28, 2025) — Consumer Affairs Agency
- Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th revised edition, 2023 supplement) — MEXT
Sources are in Japanese unless noted otherwise. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
This page lists facts stated in laws and in standards of public bodies and industry associations. It does not judge whether an ingredient or product is good or bad. If you have a food allergy, always check the label on the package.