Pfund colour scale
The Pfund scale expresses honey colour in millimetres of optical density; it underlies the colour grades from Water White to Dark Amber.
The Pfund scale expresses honey colour as a number: millimetres on an optical-density reading that is widely used in international honey trade. The higher the number, the darker the honey. Under Directive 2001/110/EC honey colour ranges from nearly colourless to dark brown.
The US USDA standard divides honey into seven colour classes: Water White up to 8 mm, Extra White over 8 to 17, White over 17 to 34, Extra Light Amber over 34 to 50, Light Amber over 50 to 85, Amber over 85 to 114 and Dark Amber over 114 mm. For the USDA grades, colour is not a factor of quality. According to FAO, lighter honeys are more often sold for direct consumption and darker ones for industry, and buyers often guess the flavour from the colour.
Why this matters to you: colour says nothing about quality: neither the EU directive nor USDA grades honey by it. A pale Acacia honey and a dark Chestnut honey simply taste different. Honey turns lighter once it crystallises because glucose crystals are white, so a paler jar does not mean a different honey.
Facts
| Main use | Express honey colour as a number (optical density, mm) |
|---|---|
| House range | Water White ≤8 mm … Dark Amber >114 mm (7 USDA classes) |
| Colour | Nearly colourless to dark brown (Directive 2001/110/EC) |
| Legal basis | USDA: colour is not a quality factor of the honey grades |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Pfund colour scale → kind of → Honey labels, law and quality → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Honey labels, law and quality
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pfund scale?
An optical-density reading that gives honey colour in millimetres and is widely used in international honey trade.
Which colour classes does USDA define?
Water White (≤8 mm), Extra White (to 17), White (to 34), Extra Light Amber (to 50), Light Amber (to 85), Amber (to 114), Dark Amber (over 114).
Is colour a quality criterion for honey?
No: in the USDA standard colour is not a factor of quality, and the EU directive only says it ranges from nearly colourless to dark brown.
Which honeys are darker and richer in minerals?
Dark honeys, above all honeydew honeys: according to FAO they are the richest in minerals.
Is it true that paler honey is a different, “better” honey?
No. Honey turns lighter after crystallising because glucose crystals are white; colour is not a quality grade.
Similar
HMF in honey · Diastase activity · Pollen analysis of honey (melissopalynology) · Honey adulteration · Honey origin labelling · Codex standard for honey (CXS 12-1981)
Sources
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey (1985)
- FAO, Krell R. (1996) Value-added products from beekeeping, Chapter 2 Honey (2.1-2.5)
- Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey (consolidated text, EUR-Lex)