Current Status of SMTQ in Relation to Honey Export

Poorna Prasad Manandhar

Quality Concept

• Measurable conformance to a set of technical specifications

• Best practices and continuous improvement• Better environment• Result of integrated and coordinated

activities of standards, technical regulations, metrology, testing, quality assessment, certification and accreditation

Importance of Quality

• Quality and nothing but quality counts in present day context

• Only finest product and services with assured quality can survive against stiff competition in the domestic as well as international market

Quality Assurance

• Well developed and effective National Quality Infrastructure (QI) as per international practice is in place

• All components of QI are actively in progress and are regularly monitored

Effective Quality Infrastructure

• Ensures the access to international standards, technical regulations, guaranteed and traceable measurements

• System of accreditation in inspection, testing and certifications is in place

• Conformity assessment procedures are in practice

Present Nepalese Context

• National Quality Policy has not been formulated

• Poor Quality Infrastructure (Standardization, Metrology, Testing and Quality Assessment) is in place

• Poor Technical Competency in relation to keep pace with WTO Obligation and global free trade

Present Nepalese Context (continued)

• Poor consumer protection with respect to food safety, health and environment

• Inadequate awareness in quality in general

• Lack of required coordination among different players of Quality Infrastructure

Present Nepalese Context (continued)

• Lack of transparency among different stakeholders of Quality Infrastructure

• Lack of venue to exchange and disseminate information and ideas among concerned players including producers and traders on quality matters

What have we have done for honey

• Standards/ Technical Regulation---Yes

• Testing facilities developed ---Yes

• Quality Certification ---Yes

Nepalese Standards/ Technical RegulationsDefinition: Natural sweet

substances produced from honey bees

Natural sweet substances produced from honey bees

Fructose/Glucose ratio: not less than 1.0 not less than 0.95Total Reducing sugars not less than 65 % not less than 65%Sucrose not more than 6 % not more than 5 %Moisture not more than 20.0 % not more than 23.0 %

Water insoluble matter ----- not more than 0.5 %

Free acid as formic acid not more than 0.2 % not more than 0.2%

Hydroxymethyl furfural content not more than 80 mg/ 1000 gm

not more than 40mg/ 1000 gm

Pesticide residues/ Heavy metals None -----Diastase Activity ------ -----

Quality norms EU CAC Nepal

1. Definition Natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees

Natural sweet substance produced from honey bees

Natural sweet substance produced from honey bees

2. Residue Monitoring Plan Essential ----------- Preparation in progress

3. Moisture not more than

20 %

not more than

21 %

not more than

23 %

4. Fructose + Glucose

Nectar honey

Honeydew honey

not less than 60 %

not less than 45 %

not less than 60 %

not less than 45 %

Ratio: > 0.95 %

not less than 65 %

Quality norms EU CAC Nepal

5. Sucrose

Nectar honey

Honeydew honey

not more than 5.0 %

not more than 10 -15 %

not more than 5.0 %

not more than 10 – 15 %

not more than 5.0 %

not more than 10.0 %

6.Water Insoluble Matter

< 0.1 gm/ 100 gm

< 0.1 gm /100 gm

< 0.5 gm/ 100 gm

7. Electrical Conductivity

not more than

0.8 mS/ cm

not more than

0.8 mS/ cm

------

Quality norms EU CAC Nepal

8. Free Acid not more than 50 meq/

1000 gm

not more than 50 meq/

1000 gm

not more than 0.2 %

as formic acid

9. Diastase Activity less than 8 Schade Unit

less than 8 Schade Unit

----------

10. Hydroxymethylfurfural content

< 40 mg /

1000 gm

< 40 mg /

1000 gm

< 40 mg / 1000 gm

11. Pesticide residues/ Heavy metals/ Antibiotics

listed As specified not specified

Parameters/ Laboratory

NBSM Vet. DFTQC NAST Forensic Private Labs

1. Moisture

(AOAC method)

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

2.Fructose+Glucose combined (HPLC Method, European honey commission)

Yes No No/Yes No No No

3.Sucrose (HPLC Method, European honey commission)

Yes No No/ Yes No No No

4.Water Insoluble Matter

J. Asso. Public Analyst (1992)

Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes

5. Electrical Conductivity

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Technical Competency

Parameters/ Laboratory NBSM Vet. DFTQC NAST Forensic Private Labs

6. Diastase Activity

(AOAC method)

Yes Yes Yes yes Yes

7. Hydroxymethyl -furfural content

( AOAC method)

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

8. Contaminants

Pesticide residues (GLC, GCMS method)

Heavy metals (AAS method)

Antibiotics (HPLC, GCMS)

Yes/ No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes/ No

Yes

No/ Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

9. Free Acid

J. Assoc.Public Analyst

(1992)

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Technical Competency continued

What are required • 1.  Compatible Standards &Technical Regulations.

• 2. Competency in methods of testing as per EU or (CAC).

• 3. Conformity Assessment Procedures.

• 4.  Proficiency Testing.

• 5. Calibration in measurements.

• 6.  Accreditation in testing facility and certification.

• 7. Mutual Recognition Agreement.

• 8. Bee Keepers Training in hygienic practices

Gaps1. Nepal has not been listed in EU for export of Honey.

2. Standards and Technical Regulations are not compatible.

3. Insufficient laboratory facilities and expertise

4. Lack of good coordination and cooperation among laboratories.

4. Accreditation / Mutual Recognition Agreement are not in place.

5. Proficiency Testing has yet to be improved to a greater extent.

6. Conformity Assessment Procedures are not in place.

7. Measurement Uncertainty and calibration traceable to

international standard are yet to be expanded.

8. Bee-keepers training has to be updated and regularized.

Need

1. Institutionalization of bee keepers’ training in good house keeping, knowledge on potential use of antibiotics and pesticides at the farm level, hygienic processing and packing.

2. Preparation of Yearly Residue Monitoring Plan. 3. Continued Harmonization of Standards and technical regulations.4. Strengthening testing facilities at public and private laboratories.• - Establishment of one testing unit under the association with basic

facilities and capabilities for residue and sugar content analysis.• - Proficiency Testing.• - Development of Conformity Assessment Procedures.• - Strengthening Calibration facilities.• - Quality Certification Procedures. • - MRA at international level.

• - Development of technical manpower through training in specific testing

Immediate Need

• National Residue Monitoring Plan in hand.• Harmonization of standards and technical

regulation with CAC.• Coordination and cooperation among

domestic laboratories.• Proficiency testing at internationally

accepted level.• MRA with concerned institute if possible.

Conclusion• Good coordination and cooperation among the public, semi

public and private laboratories is to be institutionalized. • With some initiatives, efforts and incentives, local

institutions could be geared up and can be made competent but some of them definitely need external technical and financial help for additional equipments, training and to address some specific problem in order to gain the mutual recognition agreement and proficiency testing partnership at internationally accepted level.

• with this development in quality and reliability in testing and certification system, Nepal will definitely be benefited directly or indirectly in other fields of intervention such as tea, coffee and many other food items which do have export potential but are restricted due to lack of acceptable quality infrastructure in place.

Institutions visited and personnel consulted with

1. Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology2. Department of Food Technology and Quality Control3. Mr. Rajendra Tuladhar and Mr. Keshab Joshi, FDC Laboratory4. Dr. Ishwor Lal Shrestha, Nepal Environmental and Scientific

Services Laboratory5. Soil Test Laboratory6. Dr. Surendra Joshi, GTZ7. Dr. Dev Bhakta Shakya, Agro Enterprise Center, FNCCI8. Dr. Kanti Shrestha, NAST9. Ms Bhinu Sova Tuladhar, Forensic Laboratory10. Veterinary Research Laboratory11. Kathmandu University

References• CBI Market information Database, URL: www.cbi.eu, (1) EU Legislation: Honey

(2) EU Legislation: Preconditions for export of honey to the EU.• Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey, Official Journal of the

European Communities.• CBI Market information Database, URL: www.cbi.nl, Norway legislation: Honey.• Revised Codex Standard for Honey, 2001.• Information fiche: Honey – Imports from third countries into EU, Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29

April 1996• Council Directive 96/23EC of 29 April 1996 and amended in 2004 on measures to monitor certain

substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products.• Honey Quality by Peter Martin, Chairman, Honey International Packers Association – a speech given

at the Annual Meeting of the UK Bee Farmers Association, 2005.• Honey Quality and International regulatory Standards – Review by the International Honey

Commission.• National Honey Board, European Union Export Program Instructions – Background and Introduction.• Nepal Standard for Honey.• Required Minimum Limits for Honey, Nepalese Food Rules 2027.