Free Access
| Issue |
Apidologie
Volume 31, Number 6, November/December 2000
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 717 - 726 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2000156 | |
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2000156
Adulteration of honey: relation between microscopic analysis and
Apidologie 31 (2000) 717-726
Adulteration of honey: relation between microscopic analysis and
C measurements
Jacob D. Kerkvlieta - Harro A.J. Meijerb
aFood Inspection Service, Region North-West, Hoogte Kadijk 401, 1018 BK Amsterdam, The
Netherlands
bCentre for Isotope Research (CIO), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen,
The Netherlands
(
Abstract:
Upon routine microscopic analysis of some honey samples, parenchyma cells, single rings of ring vessels
and epidermal cells are found. These cells originate from the sugar cane stem. We investigated whether
there was a relation between these plant fragments and the
C value of honey. 17 honey samples
and 6 cane sugar samples were analyzed. Microscopic analysis of the samples was done quantitatively by
counting the parenchyma cells, rings, and epidermal cells present in 10 g of the sample using polarized
light microscopy. Also the repeatability of the microscopic analysis was determined by calculating the
standard deviation of the values from the processing and examination of 8 sub-samples from one honey
sample For all honey samples in this study, it was found that if more than 150 parenchyma cells and/or 10
rings in 10 g were detected, the samples were adulterated with C4 sugars (from sugar cane or corn)
according to the d13C method. Lower microscopic counts indicated honey with suspected adulteration below
7%, the limit of detection of the
C method. Overall, the microscopic procedure was a good
screening method for the detection of adulteration of honey with cane sugar products.
C value of honey. 17 honey samples
and 6 cane sugar samples were analyzed. Microscopic analysis of the samples was done quantitatively by
counting the parenchyma cells, rings, and epidermal cells present in 10 g of the sample using polarized
light microscopy. Also the repeatability of the microscopic analysis was determined by calculating the
standard deviation of the values from the processing and examination of 8 sub-samples from one honey
sample For all honey samples in this study, it was found that if more than 150 parenchyma cells and/or 10
rings in 10 g were detected, the samples were adulterated with C4 sugars (from sugar cane or corn)
according to the d13C method. Lower microscopic counts indicated honey with suspected adulteration below
7%, the limit of detection of the
C method. Overall, the microscopic procedure was a good
screening method for the detection of adulteration of honey with cane sugar products.
Keywords:
honey / adulteration / microscopy / cane sugar /
C
Correspondence and reprints: Jacob D. Kerkvliet
jdkerkvliet@solcon.nl
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