Honey – Kosher Policy
- September 25, 2024 from Kosher Atlanta: The AKC’s policy is that pure honey without a hechsher is acceptable. (Some kashrus agencies only recommend using honey with a hechsher.)
- cRc policy from Kosher Status by Product:
- Honey, including raw: Requires kosher certification Packaging equipment for retail honey may be heated and may be used for non-kosher sauces
- Honeycomb: Acceptable Without Certification Pure honeycomb does not need certification
- September 29, 2024 Honey Information from the COR Detroit:
- Standard honey goes through a filtering process, which removes the non-Kosher bee parts. Even “raw and unfiltered” honey is usually strained to remove the bee parts. However, some completely unprocessed honeys are neither filtered nor strained. If the label or the manufacturer states that the honey is not strained, or if bee parts are visible, that honey should be avoided.
- “Forest honey”, “Honeydew honey”, and “Beechwood honey” (or honey named after other types of trees such as Pine, Fir, Oak, etc.), generally refer to honey produced by bees that have consumed the non-Kosher excretions of aphids and scale insects left on trees, as opposed to standard honey that is produced from flower
nectar. These are not considered Kosher according to some opinions, and should be avoided. Melipona honey should also be avoided.
- “Royal Jelly” is a bee product that, unlike regular honey, is an actual secretion of the bee. Some Poskim therefore rule that it is not included in the permitted category of “honey”, and it should be avoided.
Kashrut.com has information on kashrus issues in honey and other sweeteners at www.kashrut.com/trade/sweetenerslist
