We have stated before that pure raw honey never spoils. Yet, if you pick up a bottle of commercial honey from a supermarket in Surat, you will almost always see a "Best Before" or "Expiry" date stamped on the back. Why the contradiction?
Food Regulations vs. Nature
The primary reason for these dates is legal compliance. The FSSAI and global food safety authorities require almost all packaged consumable products to display a shelf-life date for traceability and consumer protection, regardless of the product's natural longevity. Usually, honey is given a 12-to-24-month shelf life arbitrarily to satisfy these legal requirements.
The Degradation of Pasteurized Honey
There is a secondary, more concerning reason. Commercial honey is heavily pasteurized and filtered. Over time, the high heat treatment causes the honey to degrade. The levels of HMF (Hydroxymethylfurfural) increase, and the honey loses its flavor and color. It doesn't become toxic, but it loses whatever little quality it had left.
Raw honey, stored properly in glass jars away from moisture, will outlive its expiry date by decades.