Mel de Barroso
Also known as: Barroso honey, Mel de Barroso DOP, Mel de Urze
Mel de Barroso is dark honey with an EU protected designation of origin (PDO) from the Barroso highlands of northern Portugal, with pollen mostly from heathers.
Mel de Barroso is a Portuguese honey with an EU protected designation of origin (PDO) from the highest parts of the Barroso region in the north. Apis mellifera iberiensis bees make it from local vegetation, mostly heathers (Erica): Erica umbellata (locally "queiró"), Erica cinerea, Erica arborea, Erica vagans, Erica ciliaris and Calluna vulgaris.
The honey is dark: above 80 mm on the Pfund scale. Ericaceous pollen must exceed 15 % and eucalyptus pollen stay below 5 %. Moisture is under 18 %, reducing sugars above 65 %, ash below 0.6 %. With more than 35 % ericaceous pollen the label may read "Mel de Urze" or "Mel de Queiró".
Artificial feeding is banned except under mandatory sanitary measures or natural disasters. Production and extraction must take place inside the area: the municipalities of Boticas, Chaves, Montalegre and Vila Pouca de Aguiar, and the parishes of Jou and Valongo de Milhais (Murça). The honey is sold liquid, crystallised or as fully capped, brood-free comb.
Why this matters to you: the jar should read "Mel de Barroso DOP" or the full name; "Mel de Urze" signals over 35 % heather-family pollen, and phase separation or fermentation rules a honey out of this name.
Facts
| Registered | PDO; Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 (1996) |
|---|---|
| Region | Barroso, northern Portugal |
| Raw material | Nectar of local plants; ericaceous pollen above 15 % |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 (1996) |
| Taste | Dark colour, above 80 mm Pfund |
| Sweetness | Reducing sugars over 65 %; moisture below 18 % |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Mel de Barroso → kind of → Monofloral honey → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Protected honey names, Monofloral honey
- Similar and different
- Heather honey
Frequently asked questions
What is this honey made from?
Local vegetation, mostly heathers of the genus Erica and Calluna vulgaris.
What does "Mel de Urze" mean?
A label for honey with over 35 % ericaceous pollen; the alternative is "Mel de Queiró".
What colour is it?
Dark: above 80 mm on the Pfund scale.
How is it sold?
Liquid, crystallised or as comb, if the comb is fully capped and brood-free.
Is it true that honey with phase separation can still carry the name?
No. Honey with phase separation (glucose precipitation) or fermentation cannot be sold as Mel de Barroso.
Similar
Meli Kissouri · Miód wrzosowy z Borów Dolnośląskich · Mel da Serra da Lousã · Mel das Terras Altas do Minho · Ağrı Geven Balı · Elazığ Geven Balı
ℹ️ Honey is mostly sugars: about 82 g per 100 g. Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old because of the risk of infant botulism.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — EU register of geographical indications: Mel de Barroso (EUGI00000013239)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 (OJ L 148, 21.6.1996), registration of Mel names
- Single document 'Mel de Barroso' (AM02), OJ C 419, 12.12.2019 (EUR-Lex)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 704/2005 (OJ L 118, 5.5.2005), amendment of the specification of Mel de Barroso