Isotope ratio analysis
The standard test for cane and corn syrup added to honey.
Chemistry
Definition
Stable carbon isotope ratio analysis distinguishes sugars from C4 plants — cane and maize — from those of the C3 plants most nectar comes from. It is the long-established test for the commonest form of honey adulteration. Its known limitation is that rice and beet are C3 plants, so syrups made from them pass, which is precisely why adulterators moved to them.
See also
Other chemistry terms
Sources
Sources
- Analytical approaches to honey authentication — Peer-reviewed food-analysis literature · Peer-reviewed article
- Standard for Honey (CXS 12-1981) — Codex Alimentarius Commission, FAO/WHO (1981) · Standards document Link
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