With the rapidly growing population, the need and demand for pure organic and sustainably produced food items like raw honey has also increased. Honey is among the most widely adulterated food items after milk and olive oil.
If you are a seller who wishes to expand your honey market or a buyer looking for pure honey, your main priority should be to ensure the honey you produce or buy is properly tested and certified.
The CEO of BA Barry Group and the man behind GEOHONEY Mr. Basem Barry says
“The demand for tested and certified honey is now more than ever. It shows there has been a new awareness and appreciation in the general public of the benefits and value of natural monofloral honey.”
Now there are many physical and chemical methods currently being used to test the purity of monofloral honey. You can conduct simple flame, solubility, and blot tests at home but these are not very reliable.
Moreover, things become even trickier when you are a honey producer who wishes to get his product to a wider audience.
Here is all you need to know about honey testing and certification to ensure honey purity
The monofloral honey quality determination involves the assessment of several key parameters. It involves looking at things such as
Looking at these factors one can make a near-accurate estimate about the freshness, ripeness, and authenticity of any given type of monofloral honey.
Following are a few routine laboratory tests that can help ensure the purity of honey
The Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) test gives information regarding the aging of honey. It also identifies if the honey has undergone any heavy heating treatment.
A low HMF value indicates the honey is purely natural and fresh. Internationally, particularly in the EU, the HMF limit has been set to 40 mg/kg. If the HMF value exceeds 40 it shows the honey has suffered heat or transport damage. HPLC or high-performance liquid chromatography technique is employed for the accurate determination of HMF content.
This test gives you an accurate estimation of the pollen content in honey. You can use this information to find out about the botanical origin of monofloral honey.
With pollen analysis, you can not only find out the type of pollen in honey but also determine the relative proportions of the different types of pollen.
The electrical conductivity of honey is directly influenced by things like acidity, viscosity, and salt concentration. According to the Codex Standards, for pure monofloral honey, the value of electrical conductivity needs to be less than 0.8 mS/cm per 20 grams of honey diluted with about 100 ml of water.
The element analysis/liquid chromatography isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/LC-IRMS) is used to determine C4 sugars and foreign oligosaccharide content in the given honey samples. This is done by comparing deviations between δ13C values of given honey fractions.
This stands for liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrum test. The main purpose of this test is to determine the presence and concentration of different artificial syrups in the honey.
It can be used to identify C3, C4, and tailor-made synthetic syrups in honey. Using this analysis, you can easily show that your monofloral honey has not been processed in any way to include additives when it reaches the consumers.
Another useful test that determines the quality and purity of honey is the proline quantity test. Proline is the most dominant amino acid in honey. If your honey has about 180 mg of proline content pr Kg, it is considered natural and adulteration-free.
If the proline content is less than 180, it raises questions about the purity and overall quality of honey.
The Trace Marker for Rice Syrup is a test that gives you direct evidence of the presence of rice syrup adulteration in honey.
The nuclear magnetic resonance test is done to estimate the purity, geographical, and botanical origin of honey. Using this technique, it is possible to quantify more than 30 parameters related to honey quality such as proline content, sucrose and valine concentration, and the added sugar and syrup contents.
By having your honey tested using the above techniques and receiving the relevant certifications, you can easily ensure you provide the purest monofloral honey to your customers. It can not only build customer trust but it can also save you from potential legal suits that you might face when selling adulterated honey.
The purpose of monofloral honey testing is to ensure complete quality control. If a honey product is free from additives like syrups or sugar solutions and it has certifications from relevant authorities to confirm these claims, it is more likely to sell.
Techniques like NMR, TMR, and Proline quantity testing give an easy way to confirm the origin, nutrient concentration, and adulteration level in honey. If your honey tests give accepted and recommended responses for these tests, it shows your commitment to selling pure and quality products without relying on fraudulent or poor honey production practices.
Geohoney is the leading honey brand based in Dubai with over 130 farms equipped with the latest new-tech monofloral initiatives. Our 100% pure, raw, and natural monofloral honey is carefully prepared using single nectar sources which ensures both a high concentration of nutrients and enzymes.
Working with worldwide beekeepers from more than 53 countries Goehoney strives to produce monofloral honey that meets the highest global quality control standards while using environmentally sustainable resources and adhering to socially responsible policies.
Visit GEOHONEY today to order from our wide range of tested and certified honey types gathered from farms around the globe.
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