A laser optical method for predicting adulteration of clover honey.

BACKGROUND: The authenticity of honey is of great importance for commercial and health reasons, because adulteration of bee honey with cheaper sweetening materials is sometimes carried out for financial gain. The objectives of this study were to evaluate clover honey quality according to physicochemical characteristics, to measure light transmission through honey samples using a visible laser technique (He-Ne laser at 632.8 nm) and to predict types of adulterants of clover honey according to the transmission intensity of the laser beam through the sample.

RESULTS: The transmission intensity of pure clover honey was 3520 lx. Addition of water or sugar solution at various concentrations led to increased transmission intensities in the range 4720-6980 lx, while addition of glucose honey led to increased transmission intensities in the range 3570-4120 lx. However, addition of starch suspension or black honey led to decreased transmission intensities in the ranges 3440-120 and 2770-85 lx respectively. The physicochemical properties of pure clover honey were within the standard limits. The light microscope image of pollen in the honey indicated that the pollen came from the clover plant.

CONCLUSION: The transmission intensity method using visible laser light to predict the type of adulteration of clover honey can be considered a fast and accurate method. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.