COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)

‘Miel de Granada’

PDO-ES-0243-AM02 – 11.6.2025

1.   Name of product

‘Miel de Granada’

2.   Geographical indication type

☒	Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

☐	Protected geographical indication (PGI)

☐	Geographical indication (GI)

3.   Sector

☒	Agricultural products

☐

Wines

☐	Spirit drinks

4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Spain

5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Directorate-General for Food – Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The approved amendment falls under the definition of a standard amendment as provided for in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, as it does not include a change in the name or use of the name, does not risk voiding the established link to the geographical area and does not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.

7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)

Title

Minor revisions of the physical and melissopalynological parameters.

Description

Section B) ‘Product Description’ of the product specification and point 3.2 ‘Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies’ of the single document have been amended.

The ranges of parameters to measure the physical, chemical and melissopalynological characteristics of the honeys have been amended, including the value ‘equal’ for the established maximums and minimums, with the following wording:

‘1.	General physical and chemical characteristics common to all the varieties of honey at the time of packaging and labelling: — Moisture content: ≤ 17,5 %. — Hydroxymethylfurfural: ≤ 18 mg/kg’

‘3.

Specific physico-chemical and melissopalynological characteristics: — Chestnut monofloral honey (Castanea sativa): conductivity (mS/cm) ≥ 0,8; colour (mmPfund) ≥ 80; pollen content ≥ 75 % from Castanea sativa. — Rosemary monofloral honey (Rosmarinus officinalis): conductivity (mS/cm) ≤ 0,25; colour (mmPfund) ≤ 35; pollen content ≥ 15 % from Rosmarinus officinalis or ≥ 10 % Rosmarinus officinalis, and ≥ 5 % other labiates. — Thyme monofloral honey (Thymus sp.): conductivity (mS/cm) ≥ 0,3 and < 0,8; colour (mmPfund) ≥ 55; pollen content ≥ 15 % Thymus sp. — Avocado monofloral honey (Persea americana): conductivity (mS/cm) ≤ 0,7; colour (mmPfund) ≥ 100; pollen content ≥ 25 % from Persea sp.; presence of ≥ 0,2 % from perseitol where pollen content is ≤ 25 %. — Orange tree or orange blossom monofloral honey (Citrus sp.): conductivity (mS/cm) ≤ 0,3; colour (mmPfund) ≤ 30; pollen content ≥ 15 % from Citrus sp. If the pollen content is between ≥ 5,0 % and ≤ 15 % the methyl anthranilate content must be ≥ 1,2mg/kg — Lavender monofloral honey (Lavandula stoechas): conductivity (mS/cm) ≤ 0,5; colour (mmPfund) ≤ 50; pollen content ≥ 15 % from Lavandula stoechas, — Mountain honey: pollen content ≥ 20 % Castanea sp.’

Reason(s)

Reason:

The errors detected in the ranges of physical, chemical and melissopalynological characteristics of the honeys have been corrected to include the maximum and minimum values established in each parameter.

☒

The amendment affects the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products

‘Miel de Granada’

EU reference number: PDO-ES-0243-AM02 – 11.6.2025

1.   Name(s)

Miel de Granada

2.   Geographical indication type

☑

PDO

☐

PGI

☐

GI

3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Spain

4.   Description of the agricultural product

4.1.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143

04 – DAIRY PRODUCE; BIRDS’ EGGS; NATURAL HONEY; EDIBLE PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN, NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDED

4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies

Honey: a food product made by honey bees using nectar from flowers or secretions from the living parts of plants or found on them, which the bees gather, transform, combine with their own specific substances, store and allow to mature in the hive’s honeycombs. It can be liquid, viscous or crystalline.

The protected geographical indication honey is classified as:

—	chestnut monofloral honey (Castanea sativa)

—	rosemary monofloral honey (Rosmarinus officinalis)

—	thyme monofloral honey (Thymus sp.)

—	avocado monofloral honey (Persea americana)

—	orange tree or orange blossom monofloral honey (Citrus sp.)

—	lavendar monofloral honey (Lavandula stoechas)

—	mountain honey

—	multifloral honey

(1)

General physico-chemical characteristics common to all the varieties of honey at the time of packaging and labelling — Moisture content: ≤ 17,5 %. — Hydroxymethylfurfural: ≤ 18 mg/kg

(2)

Melissopalynological characteristics common to all the honeys (a) Pollen spectrum characteristic of vegetation in Granada, comprising chiefly the following families: Cistaceae, Lamiaceae, Fagaceae, Rosaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Borraginaceae, Salicaceae, Campanulaceae, Resedaceae, Plantaginaceae, Apiaceae, Caesalpinaceae and Lauraceae.

(3)

Specific physico-chemical and melissopalynological characteristics: Honey type Conductivity Colour Pollen content (× m S/cm) (mm Pfund) chestnut monofloral honey (Castanea sativa) ≥ 0,8 ≥ 80 ≥ 75 % Castanea sativa rosemary monofloral honey (Rosmarinus officinalis) ≤ 0,25 ≤ 35 ≥ 15 % from Rosmarinus officinalis or ≥ 10 % Rosmarinus officinalis and ≥ 5 % other labiates thyme monofloral honey (Thymus sp.) ≥ 0,3 and < 0,8 ≥ 55 ≥ 15 % Thymus sp. avocado monofloral honey (Persea americana) ≥ 0,7 ≥ 100 ≥ 25 % from Persea sp. Presence of > 0,2 % of perseitol if the pollen content < 25 % orange tree or orange blossom monofloral honey (Citrus sp.) ≤ 0,3 ≤ 30 ≥ 15 % Citrus sp. If the pollen content is between ≥ 5,0 % and ≤ 15 % the methyl anthranilate content must be ≤ 1,2 mg/kg lavendar monofloral honey (Lavandula stoechas) ≤ 0,5 ≤ 50 ≥ 15 % from Lavandula stoechas Mountain honey     ≥ 20 % Castanea sp.

4.3.   Derogations on sourcing of feed (for products of animal origin designated by a Protected Designation of Origin only) and restrictions on sourcing of raw materials (for processed products designated by a Protected Geographical Indication only)

This section does not apply.

4.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

All

4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

Presentation and packaging

Honey in liquid state (fluid), solid state (crystallised) or with a creamy texture.

Contents of containers

Containers with a capacity not exceeding 5 kilos, which must be compliant with the legislation in force.

Material: transparent, uncoloured glass.

The label and the secondary label must not conceal the contents.

Hermetic seal.

Traditional earthenware jars may be used, provided that they have a net weight of 500 or 1 000 g and a hermetic seal.

4.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

The labels are approved by the Regulatory Council as regards use of the denomination or the brand. The labels on the jars must bear the following indication, clearly displayed: ‘Denominación de Origen Protegida’ (‘Protected Designation of Origin’), the symbol of the European Union and the designation ‘Miel de Granada’.

Whatever the type of container in which different types of honey are shipped for consumption, they must bear a numbered label or secondary label, provided by the Regulatory Council, which must be attached before shipping, in accordance with the rules laid down for that purpose and always in such a way that the labels cannot be reused.

4.7.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where the hives are located and the honey is extracted, i.e. the production area, includes all municipalities in the province of Granada, in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. The total area is 12 531 km2. The honey is packaged in the production area.

5.   Link with the geographical area

(a)   Historical link

The quality of honey from Granada is well known and has been abundantly documented since the early 14th century. Honey has been produced in this region since time immemorial. The first documentary evidence goes back to the time of Ibn al-Khathib (1313-1375), who, in his work (known in Spanish as) ‘A Description of the Kingdom of Granada’, refers to abundant honey production in areas of Granada which still make use of this traditional resource as a major source of income. There are also many references to honey in the works of various chroniclers of the period who recounted the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada by Christian armies. After the conquest, the municipalities began to organise various economic activities. In Baza, for instance, as described in the Libro de Propios (a Spanish historical accounting document) in 1564, the municipal authorities levied taxes on the beehives in the Sierra de Baza, and rosemary honey was justly famed. The book of trades of the City of Granada (1752) made explicit mention of the ‘criador de colmena’ (beekeeper). In 1777, in his Diccionario Geográfico o descripción de todos los reinos (‘Geographical dictionary or description of all the kingdoms’), Juan de la Serna described Granada as rich in wax and honey. Again, Sebastián de Miñano (1826) referred to the abundance and excellent quality of honey from Granada in his Diccionario Geográfico Estadístico de España y Portugal (‘Geographical and statistical dictionary of Spain and Portugal’). He mentioned Baza, Alhama de Granada, Güejar-Sierra and Guadix as major honey-producing areas in the Granada region. Pascual Madoz, in his Diccionario Geográfico, Estadístico e Histórico de España (‘Geographical, statistical and historical dictionary of Spain’) again highlighted the variety, abundance and outstanding features of honey from Granada. He noted, for instance, the abundance of white honey in the municipality of Loja. He also observed that considerable amounts of honey were produced on the coast (in La Garnatilla and Motril). Tomás López, too, in his Diccionario Geográfico de Andalucía: Granada (‘Geographical Dictionary of Andalusia – Granada’), which came out in the last quarter of the 18th century, again singled out various localities in Granada and the sierras around it where beehives and honey played an important role, such as Quéntar or Ribera de Oveja. In 1888, Luis Morell y Terry carried out a census. The number of beehives was estimated at approximately 15 000, with the traditional beekeeping areas in the eastern mountains, the Alpujarras and the provincial capital, Granada. In the same year – 1888 – Bertha Wihelmi introduced movable comb hives and promoted them in the province, where they gradually replaced the traditional (Arab) fixed hives. In this way she made Granada one of the pioneering provinces which led the way in developing new beekeeping methods. In May 1909 the magazine Granada Agrícola reported the interest shown by the German market in importing honeys from Granada because of their quality derived from the rich range of aromatic and medicinal plants in its mountainous areas, particularly the Sierra Nevada.

(b)   Natural link

The natural factors with a direct influence on the product include the mountainous terrain, climate and vegetation, while the human factors include the characteristic internal transhumance routes established by the beekeepers of Granada. The province of Granada has a wide variety of relief and climate with a direct impact on the sector, influencing, for example, the inland transhumance paths made by the beekeepers as they seek different kinds of flowers. From the point of view of beekeeping, this diversity means that the beekeepers of Granada can make transhumance paths up and down the mountainsides within the province, as the various species concerned flower at different times, providing a yield all year round. The type and season of flowering vary depending on altitude, with the beekeepers moving up and down the slopes in search of these flowering plants and rarely covering a distance greater than 50 km. Hence the beekeepers on the coast, in the Valle de Lecrín and the Alpujarras – Sierra Nevada normally move upwards, i.e. from the coast to the hills and vice versa, in search of vegetation, which flowers depending on the altitude. Clearly, the main factor which gives Miel de Granada the particular characteristics which distinguish it from other honeys is the province’s flora. It has over 296 000 ha of cleared hillside covered by aromatic plants that ensure flourishing levels of beekeeping, plus large areas of chestnut trees, orange trees and, on the coast, avocado trees, of which the coastal areas of the provinces of Granada and Málaga are major producers. Virtually 70 % of the owners of beekeeping establishments in the province of Granada have links to protected areas (the Sierra Nevada national park and the nature parks of the Sierra Nevada, the Sierra de Baza, the Sierra de Huétor, the Sierra de Castril and the Sierras de Tejeda, Alhama y Almijara), which are their normal area of residence. Their establishments remain in these areas for part of the year, either for production or for overwintering. The movement of bees which the keepers undertake throughout the province of Granada, in search of the richest flower supplies throughout the year, or sites for overwintering, subsequently provides Miel de Granada with a full pollen spectrum. These areas have remained isolated for a long time and beekeeping has played an important economic role by providing an alternative source of agricultural income. The variety of flowers in these parks means that the honeys they produce offer unique and unusual combinations of flowers. The Sierra Nevada alone has over 160 endemisms, of which some 60 are exclusive to the region. Studies of pollen in the province have identified some 92 forms belonging to about 50 botanical families. Miel de Granada typically contains the spectrum comprising the following families: Cistaceae, Lamiaceae, Fagaceae, Rosaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Borraginaceae, Salicaceae, Campanulaceae, Resedaceae, Plantaginaceae, Apiaceae, Caesalpinaceae and Lauraceae. This knowledge of the pollen spectrum of Miel de Granada, together with the considerable quantity of botanical endemisms, enables us to find geographical indicators allowing us to differentiate the honeys we produce clearly from those produced elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula.

Electronic (URL) reference to the publication of the product specification

https://lajunta.es/5mep7

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(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).