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 Regulations Definition:Natural sweet substances produced from honey bees Fructose/Glucose ratio: not less than 1.0not less than 0.95 Total Reducing sugars not less than 65 % Sucrose not more than 6 %not more than 5 % Moisturenot more than 20.0 %not more than 23.0 % Water insoluble matter not more than 0.5 % Free acid as formic acidnot more than 0.2 % Hydroxymethyl furfural contentnot more than 80 mg/ 1000 gm not more than 40mg/ 1000 gm Pesticide residues/ Heavy metalsNone Diastase Activity

Quality norms EU CACNepal 1. DefinitionNatural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees Natural sweet substance produced from honey bees 2. Residue Monitoring PlanEssential Preparation in progress 3. Moisturenot 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 normsEUCACNepal 5. Sucrose Nectar honey Honeydew honey not more than 5.0 % not more than % 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 < 0.5 gm/ 100 gm 7. Electrical Conductivity not more than 0.8 mS/ cm not more than 0.8 mS/ cm

Quality normsEUCACNepal 8. Free Acidnot more than 50 meq/ 1000 gm not more than 50 meq/ 1000 gm not more than 0.2 % as formic acid 9. Diastase Activityless than 8 Schade Unit Hydroxymethylfurfural content < 40 mg / 1000 gm < 40 mg / 1000 gm < 40 mg / 1000 gm 11. Pesticide residues/ Heavy metals/ Antibiotics listedAs specifiednot specified

Parameters/ Laboratory NBSMVet.DFTQCNASTForensicPrivate Labs 1. Moisture (AOAC method) Yes 2.Fructose+Glucose combined (HPLC Method, European honey commission) YesNoNo/YesNo 3.Sucrose (HPLC Method, European honey commission) YesNoNo/ YesNo 4.Water Insoluble Matter J. Asso. Public Analyst (1992) YesNoYes 5. Electrical Conductivity Yes Technical Competency

Parameters/ LaboratoryNBSMVet.DFTQCNASTForensicPrivate Labs 6. Diastase Activity (AOAC method) Yes yesYes 7. Hydroxymethyl -furfural content ( AOAC method) Yes 8. Contaminants Pesticide residues (GLC, GCMS method) Heavy metals (AAS method) Antibiotics (HPLC, GCMS) Yes/ No Yes No Yes Yes/ No Yes No/ Yes No Yes No Yes No 9. Free Acid J. Assoc.Public Analyst (1992) 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

Gaps 1. 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 Metrology 2.Department of Food Technology and Quality Control 3.Mr. Rajendra Tuladhar and Mr. Keshab Joshi, FDC Laboratory 4.Dr. Ishwor Lal Shrestha, Nepal Environmental and Scientific Services Laboratory 5.Soil Test Laboratory 6.Dr. Surendra Joshi, GTZ 7.Dr. Dev Bhakta Shakya, Agro Enterprise Center, FNCCI 8.Dr. Kanti Shrestha, NAST 9.Ms Bhinu Sova Tuladhar, Forensic Laboratory 10.Veterinary Research Laboratory 11.Kathmandu University

References CBI Market information Database, URL: (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: Norway legislation: Honey. Revised Codex Standard for Honey, 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, 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.