Simple and Rapid Screening Test to Detect Fake Honey Product

Abstract

Despite advancement in food analytical platforms and availability of CODEX standard, the fraud honey relentlessly remains as global issue. Even with stringent guidelines, controlling the incoming honey product at ground level proved to be challenging and difficult to tackle. While most analytical platforms are powerful enough to detect counterfeit honey products, there is also a need to develop a rapid screening test to support field regulatory activity. A chemical reagent developed based on biochemistry principle has proved to be able to differentiate synthetic honey product from its raw counterpart. The reaction required only three drops of honey product to react with few drops of reagent mixtures which resulted in a change of color and precipitation of proteins and other molecules within 2 min reaction. Test performed on raw honey samples inclusive of several stingless bees and Apis species honey resulted in a precipitation as compared to fake honey generated from a blend of white sugar, golden syrup, vinegar, lime juice and plantain which resulted in clear organic phase indicating missing natural honey biological matters. The difference between raw honey and fake honey reaction with the reagents can be utilized for real time on field screening activity before proceeding with authentication using complex analytical platforms.