What Is Carob Honey (Harnup Honey)? Characteristics, Color, Taste and How It Differs from Carob Molasses
Carob honey is one of the special honey types whose botanical source is carob: it is obtained from blossom nectar associated with the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.). The nectar collected by honey bees during the flowering period of carob trees growing in the Mediterranean basin turns into honey through the bees' own natural enzymes and the ripening process inside the hive.
An important distinction must be made here: carob honey is not a product obtained by boiling the carob fruit, extracting its juice or concentrating it. While carob molasses (pekmez) and carob extract are based on processing the fruit, carob honey is a natural bee product created by the processing of nectar that bees collect from the flowers.
The Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey defines honey as the natural product that results when plant nectars or certain plant secretions are collected by the honey bee (Apis mellifera), transformed by the bee with its own specific substances, reduced in water content and left to ripen in the comb. The Communiqué further states that honey consists mainly of sugars, organic compounds, enzymes and pollen.
As Carob Türkiye, we supply carob honey wholesale and in bulk to food manufacturers, honey packers and importers. For packaging, analysis and private-label options, please visit our Carob Honey (Harnup Honey) product page.
In Brief: What Is Carob Honey?
Carob honey is a blossom honey formed when the honey bee (Apis mellifera) ripens in the hive the nectar it collects from the flowers of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.). Despite its name, it has nothing to do with the fruit: carob molasses is a processed food made from the fruit, whereas carob honey is a bee product.
| Feature | Carob honey |
|---|---|
| Other names | Harnup honey (from a regional Turkish name for carob); "carob honey" in English |
| Botanical source | Nectar of carob flowers |
| Produced by | Honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| Flowering period | Autumn; sources generally give September–November |
| Color | Light amber to dark amber |
| How is its origin determined? | Pollen analysis (melissopalynology) and physicochemical analyses |
| Relation to carob molasses | None; molasses comes from the fruit, honey from blossom nectar |
The Carob Tree and Its Flowers
Carob is an evergreen tree of the species Ceratonia siliqua L., one of the characteristic plants of the Mediterranean climate. Thanks to its tolerance of hot and dry conditions, it grows wild or in cultivation in many parts of the Mediterranean basin. For honey production, the important part of the carob tree is its flowers rather than its fruit, because the botanical origin of carob honey comes from the nectar supplied by the flowers, not from the fruit.
Unlike many showy flowers, carob flowers form small, dense floral structures. These flowers can be visited by honey bees and other pollinating insects. Research has identified the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as one of the most frequently observed pollinators visiting carob flowers, and in some studies as the most frequently observed visitor.
For this reason, carob orchards can be an important plant resource not only for fruit production but also for beekeeping during the flowering period.
A Tree That Blooms in Autumn: Carob and Bees
Most flowers in the Mediterranean bloom in spring; autumn, which follows the summer drought, is often a lean season for bees. Carob is one of the rare trees whose main flowering falls exactly in this period: the carob monograph describes it as the only Mediterranean tree whose main flowering period is autumn (September–November) (Batlle and Tous, 1997). In a two-year field study in Cyprus, flowering was observed from late October to late November, and it was emphasized that carob flowers provide a very abundant resource at a time when floral availability is low (Varnava et al., 2023).
Male trees offer bees both pollen and nectar, while female trees offer only nectar. The same study found that the honey bee was the species visiting the flowers most often, and that open-pollinated flowers produced 4 to 16 times more pods, depending on the area, than flowers pollinated by wind alone (Varnava et al., 2023). In other words, while bees make honey from carob, they also contribute directly to carob yields.
Which Bee Is Used to Produce Carob Honey?
The main bee species in carob honey production is the honey bee, Apis mellifera. The Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey likewise states that honey is a natural product produced by Apis mellifera.
Research on carob flowers also shows that Apis mellifera visits these flowers intensively. In one study, visitors to carob flowers were examined, and Apis mellifera was the most frequently observed visitor among wild bees and other insect groups.
That said, it cannot be claimed that only one particular bee race is used for carob honey, either worldwide or in Türkiye. The Anatolian bee, the Caucasian bee, or various ecotypes and colonies may be used in regional beekeeping practice. The bee race or ecotype can vary depending on factors such as the beekeeper's operational preferences, the regional climate and the local adaptation of the colonies.
Therefore, what defines carob honey is not a particular bee race but rather whether Apis mellifera colonies can access a suitable floral source during the carob flowering period, and whether the botanical origin of the resulting honey can be demonstrated by analysis.
How Is Carob Honey Formed?
The formation of carob honey begins directly with the nectar-foraging behavior of bees. During the flowering period, honey bees collect nectar from suitable flowers in the surrounding area, carob flowers above all. The collected nectar is carried to the hive, where it interacts with the bees' secretions and undergoes structural and chemical changes.
The bees deposit the nectar into the comb cells. Thanks to ventilation in the hive and the microclimate the bees create, the water content of the nectar decreases over time. Once the nectar has reached sufficient maturity, it is stored in the comb cells and may be capped by the bees. At the end of this process, nectar that initially had a higher water content is transformed into honey with a characteristic density and composition.
The Turkish Food Codex also recognizes, as part of the basic definition of honey, the stages in which the bee, after collecting the nectar, transforms it with its own specific substances, reduces its water content and ripens it in the comb.
- Monitoring the flowering period of carob trees
- Ensuring honey bee colonies have access to suitable floral sources
- Bees collecting nectar from the flowers
- Carrying the nectar to the hive
- Start of the natural transformation process through bee secretions
- Depositing the nectar into the comb cells
- Reduction of water content and ripening of the honey
- Storage of the ripened honey in the combs
- Harvesting and extraction from the comb
- Straining, settling and quality control
- Proper packaging and storage
The Botanical Source of Carob Honey
When a honey is associated with a particular plant, botanical origin is an important element of quality and characterization. For carob (harnup) honey, this source is Ceratonia siliqua L. One of the key methods used to determine the botanical origin of honey is melissopalynology, i.e. pollen analysis of the honey. In this analysis, the types and proportions of pollen in the honey are examined to assess which plant sources the honey is associated with.
In a study on carob honey conducted in Sicily, the pollen profiles of 25 honey samples declared by beekeepers as unifloral were examined. The study found that Ceratonia pollen was not present at the same level in all samples: in some samples carob pollen remained quite low, while in the more characteristic samples the proportions ranged from 17.6% to 45%.
This study also highlights an important point: there may be no single, universal pollen percentage valid in every geography that can be used to classify carob honey as "unifloral". Within the scope of their study, the researchers used a level of 15% as the assessment criterion.
In another study in Morocco, Ceratonia siliqua pollen was found at levels of 64–66% in carob honey samples, and the researchers used a minimum of 45% for their samples. These differences show that factors such as the plant's pollen production characteristics, geography, climate, beekeeping method, other plants in the area and the ecosystem in which the honey is produced can all affect a honey's pollen profile.
For this reason, when assessing carob honey, its botanical origin should be evaluated with appropriate analytical methods rather than generalizing on the basis of a single percentage.
Production Area and Surrounding Flora of Carob Honey
The character of carob honey is not determined solely by the presence of carob trees. Other plants within the bees' foraging range can also affect the pollen and nectar profile of the honey.
Even if an apiary is located inside or near a carob orchard, the bees are not obliged to feed exclusively on carob flowers.
Wild plants, maquis species, citrus, herbaceous plants and other flowering plants in the area can also contribute to the nectar and pollen collected by the bees. Therefore, in a scientific assessment of the term "carob (harnup) honey", the flora of the production region, the flowering period and pollen analysis should be considered together.
The Harvesting Process of Carob Honey
The nectar collected by bees does not turn into honey immediately. The honey reaching sufficient maturity in the hive is an important factor in determining the time of harvest.
The beekeeper checks the ripened combs, and those judged suitable are removed from the hive and prepared for harvest. The honey in the combs is then extracted with suitable equipment, depending on the beekeeping method used.
In modern beekeeping, centrifugal honey extractors can be used to remove honey from the comb. The honey obtained can then be suitably strained to remove foreign matter and transferred to settling tanks. The aim at this stage is to preserve the natural structure of the honey while preparing the product of the beekeeping operation in line with food safety and quality requirements.
Straining and Settling of Carob Honey
Honey extracted from the comb may contain beeswax particles, small comb residues or other foreign matter originating from the beekeeping process. For this reason, a suitable straining process can be applied after harvest. The honey can then be left to settle under controlled conditions so that remaining air bubbles and particles of different density separate out.
However, there is a difference between filtration and the unnecessary removal of pollen and other natural constituents specific to honey. The Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey contains provisions stating that, apart from unavoidable losses during the removal of foreign matter, pollen or other constituents specific to honey must not be removed from it. It is therefore important that treatments applied to clarify honey do not unnecessarily alter the product's natural composition.
Physicochemical Properties of Carob Honey
Scientific research on carob honey shows that its physicochemical properties can vary with the production region and floral source. In a study of eight carob honeys collected from different regions of Morocco, water content ranged from about 17.3% to 22.8%, pH from 4.17 to 5.05 and electrical conductivity from 0.36 to 1.35 mS/cm. In the same study, ash content varied between 0.13% and 0.69%.
These values on their own should not be regarded as a standard range for all carob honeys, because honey composition can be influenced by many factors such as nectar source, geography, climate, harvest period and production conditions. Nevertheless, studies of this kind show that carob (harnup) honey can be characterized scientifically and that physicochemical analyses play an important role in assessing product quality.
Mineral Content of Carob Honey
Honey can naturally contain various mineral elements. Research on carob honey has examined minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium, as well as certain trace elements present in smaller amounts. In a study on Moroccan carob honeys, potassium was identified as the main mineral in the samples examined. However, mineral levels varied considerably depending on the regions where the samples were produced.
This indicates that the mineral profile of honey may be related not only to the plant species but also to factors such as soil, environment, geography and production region. Therefore, to give definitive values for the mineral content of a particular carob honey, laboratory analyses of that specific product must be used.
Color, Aroma and Taste of Carob Honey
The sensory properties of carob honey can vary with the production region and floral source. Scientific studies have reported a range of colors among carob honeys, from light amber to dark amber tones. In sensory evaluations carried out in Sicily, the characteristic samples were described as having vegetal and slightly toasted notes along with an aroma of medium intensity.
However, these properties are not a fixed definition for all carob honeys. The color and aroma of honey can be affected by the composition of the nectar source, other plants in the area, the harvest period, and storage and production conditions. Therefore, regional and analytical data should be taken into account when describing the sensory character of carob honey.
Why Is Pollen Analysis Important for Carob Honey?
Pollen analysis is one of the key methods used to assess the botanical origin of honey. Because honey bees can also carry pollen from flowers while collecting nectar, honey may contain pollen from various plants. Microscopic examination of this pollen helps assess which plant sources the honey is associated with.
In carob honey, the presence of Ceratonia siliqua pollen is important for assessing the product's botanical link to carob. It should be kept in mind, however, that pollen proportions can vary across geographies. In particular, the pollen production and flower structure of the carob (harnup) tree may mean that the amount of pollen in the honey does not correspond one-to-one with its nectar contribution. It is therefore not correct to interpret all of a honey's production conditions by looking at the pollen percentage alone.
How Is the Quality of Carob Honey Assessed?
The quality of carob honey is not assessed simply by looking at its color or tasting it. Food laboratories can draw on a range of physicochemical analyses and, where necessary, botanical analyses.
- Moisture and water content
- Free acidity
- Electrical conductivity
- Quality indicators such as HMF
- Diastase activity
- Sugar profile
- Pollen and botanical source analysis
- Sensory properties
- Foreign matter and food safety checks
- Analysis of minerals and other constituents where necessary
The Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey contains basic provisions such as preserving the natural composition of honey, not adding any substances to it, and avoiding inappropriate heat treatment that could significantly affect its natural enzymes.
Türkiye's honey legislation was also updated in 2023, with regulations introduced on the use of advanced analytical methods and decision criteria for assessing the authenticity of honey. The Ministry states that advanced analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance can be used, particularly to detect adulteration of honey with added substances.
Differences Between Carob Honey and Carob Molasses
Because of their names, carob honey and carob molasses are sometimes confused with each other. Yet the raw material, production method and formation process of the two products are different.
| Product | Carob Honey | Carob Molasses |
| Main source | Nectar associated with carob flowers | Carob fruit |
| Role of the bee in production | Plays the essential role in forming the honey | Not part of the production process |
| Production method | Processing of nectar by the bee and ripening in the hive | Processes such as extraction, filtration and concentration of the fruit |
| Plant part | Flower | Fruit |
| Product group | Bee product | Fruit-based processed food product |
Carob honey and carob molasses are therefore not the same product. Although the word "carob" (or "harnup") in both names shows that both products are linked to the same plant species, their production mechanisms are entirely different.
How Should Carob Honey Be Stored?
Honey is a natural product that can keep for a long time under suitable conditions. Even so, storage conditions are important for preserving the product's physical and sensory properties. Honey should not be exposed to direct sunlight or unnecessarily high temperatures, and should be kept in clean, suitable food-grade containers. Excessive temperatures can adversely affect honey's natural enzymes and quality indicators.
For carob honey, too, the effects of storage conditions on the product's moisture, crystallization behavior, color and aroma should be taken into account. Crystallization on its own does not mean that the honey has spoiled. Depending on the honey's natural composition and sugar profile, crystallization may occur over time.
Carob Honey and Mediterranean Beekeeping
Carob is one of the important plants of the Mediterranean basin. For this reason, areas where carob trees grow can be important not only for fruit production but also as a floral source for bees at certain times of the year.
The character of carob honey can be influenced not just by a single tree species but by the entire environment in which the bees live. The geography, climate, surrounding vegetation and beekeeping practices of the production area should therefore be considered together in order to understand the product's characteristics.
In the Mediterranean region in particular, the fact that carob, citrus, maquis plants and other flowering species can coexist in the same ecosystem can create a natural diversity that may influence the floral profile of the honey.
The Place of Honey in Cultural History
Honey is one of the oldest foods recorded by humankind. Throughout history it appears not only as a food but also as a product with a place in medicine, trade and law.
One of its earliest known written traces comes from ancient Egypt. In the Ebers Papyrus, dated to around 1550 BC, honey appears among the ingredients of various remedies. Honey was also widely used in the ancient world; Hippocrates described its use on wounds and burns. Evidence from the ancient Greek, Assyrian, Roman and Chinese civilizations shows that beekeeping was known in these regions from very early times.
Honey also entered the medical literature of the Islamic world. Its use is discussed in Avicenna's (Ibn Sina's) al-Qanun fi al-Tibb (The Canon of Medicine), which was taught as a textbook in European universities for centuries.
In Anatolia, beekeeping was not merely a livelihood but a recorded productive activity. In the Ottoman Empire, beekeepers paid a tax called "resm-i kovan" (resm-i nahl, the hive tax), which some registers also recorded as "öşr-i asel" (honey tithe); it amounted to two akçe per hive. According to the 1572 detailed tax register (mufassal tahrir defteri) of Adana, 7,770 beehives were registered in the sanjak of Adana alone. Moving hives to the highland pastures (yayla) according to the season was already common at that time, so much so that the tax was shared between the sipahi of the pasture owner and the sipahi of the hive owner. Today's migratory beekeeping thus has a written record going back centuries.
Honey is also mentioned in sacred texts. In the Torah, the promised land is described as "a land flowing with milk and honey"; according to the Gospel, wild honey was part of the diet of John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya). In the Holy Quran, verses 68 and 69 of Surah an-Nahl speak of the honey bee and the drink that comes from it, and verse 15 of Surah Muhammad mentions "rivers of purified honey" in its description of paradise.
"Then eat from all kinds of nourishing produce, and follow the paths your Lord has laid out, submitting to the laws He has set! From their bellies comes a drink (honey) of varying colors and kinds, in which there is healing for people. Surely in this there is a clear sign for people who reflect."
Surah an-Nahl, Verse 69
Honey is also frequently mentioned in the hadith collections that compile the sayings of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him); narrations in al-Bukhari and Muslim report that honey was recommended for healing purposes. (al-Bukhari, Medicine 5684; Muslim, Salam 91)
These historical and cultural records show the place of honey in human history; they are not a criterion for the quality of any particular honey. The properties of a honey are assessed by its botanical origin and laboratory analyses, as discussed in the earlier sections of this article.
A Scientific Assessment of Carob Honey
Studies on carob honey show that the product's physicochemical properties, mineral content, pollen profile and sensory character can be examined scientifically.
In the Moroccan study of eight carob honeys from different regions, physicochemical properties as well as minerals and phenolic compounds were evaluated, and considerable differences were observed between samples. In the study conducted in Sicily, the botanical origin of carob honey was examined by pollen analysis and its sensory properties were evaluated.
Taken together, these studies show that carob honey should not be regarded as a uniform product with the same properties in every region. Geographical location, surrounding flora, climate, beekeeping method, flowering period and harvest conditions can all influence the product's character.
Consequently, when making a definitive assessment of the properties of a particular carob honey, the most sound approach is to rely, wherever possible, on laboratory analyses of that specific product.
Carob Honey from the Perspective of Carob Türkiye
Carob is one of the plants that stand out as an important agricultural and natural resource in the Mediterranean belt. Alanya and its surroundings in particular are among the regions notable for carob cultivation.
In carob honey production, it is important to link the product's actual botanical source to the foraging area and its floral composition. The presence of carob trees in the production area does not, on its own, prove conclusively that the honey was made exclusively from carob nectar. Claims of botanical origin should therefore be supported, where necessary, by pollen analysis and other quality analyses.
From the perspective of Carob Türkiye, carob honey is a separate product group: unlike products obtained from the fruit of the carob tree, it is based on making use of the same plant's flowering period for beekeeping and natural product production.
This distinction is important for correctly understanding the production and uses of different products such as carob fruit, carob flour, carob kibble, carob molasses, carob extract and carob honey. Harnup honey is a special type of honey formed when honey bees collect nectar from sources associated with Ceratonia siliqua L. flowers and process and ripen it naturally in the hive.
Its production is based not on processing the carob fruit but on the flower, the nectar, the honey bee and the natural ripening process inside the hive. Scientific studies show that the botanical origin of carob honey can be assessed by pollen analysis, that its physicochemical and mineral properties can vary with the production region, and that its sensory properties can also be influenced by geography and floral sources.
For this reason, assessing high-quality carob honey requires looking not only at sensory properties such as appearance or taste, but also, together, at the production region, beekeeping practices, botanical origin, laboratory analyses and the relevant food legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carob Honey
Are carob honey and harnup honey the same? Yes. Harnup is the local name for carob on Türkiye's Mediterranean coast, and harnup honey is simply the regional name for the honey produced from carob flowers.
Is carob honey made from carob? From its flowers, not its fruit. Honey bees collect the nectar of carob flowers and turn it into honey in the hive. The product made from the fruit is carob molasses.
When is carob honey produced? Because carob blooms in autumn, this honey depends on the autumn flowering; the exact period varies with the region and that year's weather.
What are the color and taste of carob honey like? Studies have reported colors ranging from light amber to dark amber; sensory evaluations in Sicily described vegetal and slightly toasted notes. These properties vary with the region and the surrounding flora.
How can you tell whether a honey really is carob honey? Not by color or taste alone. The presence and proportion of Ceratonia siliqua pollen are assessed by pollen analysis, together with physicochemical analyses.
What is the difference between carob honey and carob molasses? Honey is a bee product formed when bees process blossom nectar; molasses (pekmez) is a food made by extracting the dried fruit with water and concentrating the extract. For details, see our Carob Molasses guide.
How should carob honey be stored? It should be kept in a closed, food-grade container away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.
For general information on the carob fruit and its products, take a look at our guides What Is Carob (Harnup)? and Carob Fruit.
Scientific and Religious Sources
Scientific Sources
El-Haskoury, R., Kriaa, W., Lyoussi, B., Makni, M. (2018). Ceratonia siliqua honeys from Morocco: Physicochemical properties, mineral contents, and antioxidant activities. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, 26(1), 67-73. DOI: 10.
Ferrauto, G., Pavone, P. (2013). Palynological, physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) honey from Sicily. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 48(8), 1596-1602. DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.12129
Terrab, A., Diez, M. J., Heredia, F. J. (2003). Palynological, physico-chemical and colour characterization of Moroccan honeys: III. Other unifloral honey types. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 38(4), 395-402. doi.
Varnava, A. I., Manganaris, G. A., Stavrinides, M. C. (2023). Assessing the biodiversity and the impact of pollinators on carob production. PLOS ONE, 18(10), e0291431. DOI: 10.
Thomas, P. A., Garcia-Marti, X., Mukassabi, T. A., Tous, J. (2024). International Biological Flora: Ceratonia siliqua. Journal of Ecology, 112(5). DOI: 10.
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey (Communiqué No: 2020/7).
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Communiqué Amending the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey (2020/7) (Communiqué No: 2023/37).
Batlle, I., Tous, J., "Carob tree. Ceratonia siliqua L. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops. 17", IPGRI, Rome, 1997. hdl.handle.net/10568/104277
Historical and Cultural Sources
Crane, E. (1999). The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting. London: Duckworth / New York: Routledge.
Hippocrates. Ulcers. In: Hippocrates, Volume VIII (Loeb Classical Library 482, trans. P. Potter). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995.
Ibn Sina (Avicenna). el-Kânûn fi't-Tıb. (Turkish translation: Esin Kâhya, Atatürk Kültür Merkezi Yayınları, Ankara, 6 volumes.)
Kurt, Y. (1990). 1572 Tarihli Adana Mufassal Tahrir Defterine Göre Adana'nın Sosyo-Ekonomik Tarihi Üzerine Bir Araştırma. Belleten, 54(209), 179-212. doi.
Religious Sources
The Holy Quran, Surah an-Nahl (16), verses 68-69.
The Holy Quran, Surah Muhammad (47), verse 15.
al-Bukhari, Sahih, Medicine 5684.
Muslim, Sahih, Salam 91.
Torah, Exodus 3:8 ("a land flowing with milk and honey").
Gospel, Matthew 3:4 (John the Baptist living on wild honey).
