Work is continuing to determine what guidelines should be used to define manuka honey so it can be true to label.
Last month, the Ministry for Primary Industries produced a discussion document asking the industry and scientists to help it come up with guidelines for the whole industry.
It had received 71 submissions from individuals and representatives from the New Zealand honey industry by September 30 when submissions closed.
Earlier this month, it met manuka honey scientists to discuss the available scientific evidence and has commissioned an independent review of the literature.
The ministry expected to publish an analysis of the submissions and a draft interim labelling guideline by about the end of October.
But it has now said it might need to commission further research to be able to finalise a suitably robust science-based definition.
There is no international standard specifically for manuka honey and the New Zealand honey industry has been unable to agree on a standard despite decades of discussion.
This year, some overseas markets have questioned some New Zealand manuka honey's authenticity, putting market access at risk, and that has intensified the pressures to resolve the issue.