Honey is one of the most frequently adulterated foods. The types of fraud range from dilution with sugar syrup to false declaration of the botanical or geographical origins. Whereas previously honey for sale in the EU could, for example, be labelled as a "blend of EU and non-EU honeys", the Directive (EU) 2024/1438 requires all countries of origin of a honey to be expressly stated. This requirement brings the analytical examination of the geographical origin of honey into focus. At the NRZ-Authent, selected methods are being tested for their suitability.
In a new project, the possibilities and limitations of a range of analytical methods are to be evaluated. Approximately 40 authentic honey samples from Bulgaria, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine are examined using various methods. Among other things, pollen from the authentic honey samples is analysed in collaboration with partners from the official food control. Using melissopalynology (i. e., microscopic examination of pollen), the range of originating plants can be determined, which indirectly allows conclusions about the geographical origin of the honey. In addition, wet-chemical parameters such as water and sugar content are determined and the samples are further examined by methods involving instrumentation, including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), and Raman spectroscopy. The results obtained will form an initial data basis for honey from different regions of origin.
For evaluation of the geographical origin of honey in market samples, a database with reference values for comparison is required. The project can serve as a starting point to establish such a collection of datasets of authentic honeys from different geographical origins.