Is it true that honey doesn't have an expiry date?

In France, the secret to whether certain food items are perishable or not can usually be found on the labels if you know what to look for.

The difference between a DLC and a DDM

There are rules when it comes to labelling food in France and one of those rules relates to the "use by" date, though it has a different name on this side of the Channel.

Perishable goods have what is called a DLC (or "Date Limite de Consommation"). This type of date applies to more sensitive food items like meats, milk, fish or ready meals. These types of produce shouldn't be consumed past the recommended date, as they may cause health risks.

On the flip side, France has a second type of date labelling called DDM ("Date de Durabilité Minimale"), which is when the packaging states "à consommer de préférence avant". This date is a guideline; the food packaged inside doesn't necessarily become unsafe to eat once it has passed. Although it may not taste as nice, it won't present any health risks.

So what about honey?

Honey, unsurprisingly, falls under the second category: the DDM. After the date indicated on the packaging, the honey's texture may change. A common side effect of ageing honey is crystallisation, an entirely normal process which doesn't make it unsafe to consume. Another, the worst-case scenario, is fermentation, in which case you will likely be able to smell the difference when opening the pot.

Even in the case where the honey has fermented, it shouldn't become unsafe to eat. The key thing is to trust your instinct; if it smells or tastes wrong, don't eat it.