Now it can be determined with absolute precision whether it is fake or real honey using a method for studying honey quality developed by scientists from the Institute for Monitoring Climatic and Ecological Systems (IMKES) SB RAS, the press service of the Center reported. Tomsk Scientist (TSC). ) SB RAS reports on November 30.
The new technique, based on mass spectrometric analysis of the stable isotope ratios of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, not only accurately determines the authenticity of the honey, but even indicates the region where it was produced.
The main researcher at IMCES SB RAS Galina Simonova explained why they decided to analyze these isotopes:
“Stable isotopes of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen occur naturally in the environment, so they are natural indicators for studying biogeochemical cycles, pollutant cycles, food webs and changes that occur in ecosystems.”.
To develop a precise methodology, scientists spent several years analyzing the ratio of these isotopes in hundreds of honey samples from the Black Sea region, European Russia, Siberia and the Far East, as well as in pollen substrate samples, bees dead and the main honey plants for Russia.
The instrument for studying the isotopic composition of carbon in honey and honey plants was the DELTA V Advantage mass spectrometer and the Flash 2000 elemental analyzer combined with it at the TSC SB RAS.
A specially prepared sample in a tin capsule was placed in the redox reactor of an elemental analyzer filled with chromium and cobalt oxides and heated to 1020 °C.
In it, the sample under study was burned in a flow of helium and pure oxygen, and the resulting carbon dioxide with a flow of helium through a chromatographic column entered the gas distribution system and then into the ion source of the mass spectrometer, where the ions are found. They were separated by their mass (mass-charge ratio).
The data obtained from the research formed the basis of the methodology M-01-2022 “Methodology for measuring the ratio of stable isotopes of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in honey”, certified at the All-Russian Research Institute of Metrology leading your name. DI Mendeleev together with MS-ANALITIKA LLC.
In Russia, honey is most often adulterated by adding sweeteners based on cane and beet sugar. In this case, the isotopic composition of the product changes. Based on the magnitude of this change, using the created technique, it is possible to determine how much sugar syrup was added to the honey.
Furthermore, during the study, scientists identified a correlation between the average values of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in honey and their average values in precipitation in the regions of their origin, and the values of carbon isotopes showed a close correlation. relation to ambient temperature.
As a result, the researchers identified three zones of the “isotopic landscape” in Russia: Siberia, where the isotopic composition of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon in honey samples is the lowest; European Russia with intermediate values of these parameters and the Black Sea region, where the highest values of the isotopic composition of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon in honey samples were recorded.
These data, taken into account in the methodology, allow us to identify not only honey counterfeiting, but also to establish “geographical falsification”, when unscrupulous sellers try to pass off their product as honey that is most in demand by customers and has a good reputation.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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