C4 sugar
Sugar from cane or maize, detectable in honey by its carbon isotope signature.
Chemistry
Definition
C4 plants fix carbon by a different photosynthetic pathway from the C3 plants most nectar comes from, leaving a distinct carbon-13 signature. Added cane or corn syrup shifts a honey's isotope ratio measurably, which is the basis of the standard adulteration test.
See also
Other chemistry terms
Sources
Sources
- Analytical approaches to honey authentication — Peer-reviewed food-analysis literature · Peer-reviewed article
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