current issues and trends of honey quality … · current issues and trends of honey quality in the...
TRANSCRIPT
www.intertek.com1 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
CURRENT ISSUES AND TRENDSOF HONEY QUALITY IN THEGLOBAL HONEY MARKET
Dr. Lutz Elflein
Intertek Food Services, Bremen, Germany
www.intertek.com2 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Contents
• The Global Honey Market:• Production Quantities / Prices, Exports, Imports• Impact on Honey Quality
• Factors affecting Honey Quality and Marketability:• Residues (Antibiotics, Pesticides, Wax Moth Control Agents, Bee
Repellents, Volatile Hydrocarbons)• Adulteration with Sugar Syrups• GMO Pollen• Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids• Geographical and Botanical Origin, Labeling• Commercial Analysis (HMF, Enzyme Activities, Proline, Glycerol)
www.intertek.com3 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Global Honey Market: Honey Production
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
450000
500000Production (tons) 2011 Production (tons) 2010 Production (tons) 2009
Top 40 Countries Production 2009-2011, source: FAO
www.intertek.com4 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Global Honey Market: Honey Production
Honey Producer Prices 2008-2010, source: FAO
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000Ar
gent
ina
Bela
rus
Bosn
ia a
nd H
erze
govi
naB
razi
lBu
lgar
iaC
hina
Cro
atia
Cyp
rus
Egyp
tEl
Sal
vado
rEt
hiop
iaG
eorg
iaG
reec
eH
unga
ryIn
dia
Isra
elJo
rdan
Kaz
akhs
tan
Ken
yaK
yrgy
zsta
nM
exic
oM
ongo
liaO
ccup
ied
Pale
stin
ian
Terri
tory
Pola
ndPo
rtuga
lR
epub
lic o
f Kor
eaR
epub
lic o
f Mol
dova
Rom
ania
Serb
iaS
lova
kia
Slov
enia
Spai
nSw
itzer
land
Tajik
ista
nFY
R M
aced
onia
Turk
eyU
krai
neU
nite
d Ki
ngdo
mU
nite
d S
tate
s of
Am
eric
aU
rugu
ayYe
men
USD/ton 2010 USD/ton 2009 USD/ton 2008
www.intertek.com5 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Global Honey Market: Honey Exports
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
Top 40 Countries Exports 2010 (tons), source FAO
www.intertek.com6 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Global Honey Market: Honey Imports
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
Top 40 Countries Imports 2010 (tons), source FAO
www.intertek.com7 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Market Factors Influencing Honey Quality
Challenges:• Low retail prices for commercial honey blends• Low profit margin for commercial honey blends• Demanding requirements for honey specialties and premium honeys• Difficulty in obtaining raw honeys at reasonable (payable) prices• Increasing overall demand for honey supply (ingredient, replacement for sugar)• Increasing shortage of supply (climate, bee diseases, CCD)• Globally fluctuating sources depending on current market situation• Less long-term relationships between suppliers and packers• Increased testing requirements / costs to ensure quality and marketability• Different standards / requirements for honey in different countries• Different consumer expectations regarding honey in different countries• Third countries need to be approved for imports to EU (Third Country List)
www.intertek.com8 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Residues
Antibiotics:• Preventive (or acute) treatment of e.g. Foulbrood, Nosema• Generally not allowed in Europe (zero tolerance)• EU: legal basis for MRL/RPA (reference points of action) has been
established, but hampered by current political intent and by lack of /difficulties in determining residue depletion and withdrawal periods.
• Some substances (e.g. oxytetracycline, fumagillin) allowed in a fewcountries (e.g. USA, Brazil, Argentina), but usually not during honeyflow and also zero-tolerance for non authorized substances
• Many other (third) countries: no clear regulation at all• No internationally harmonized procedure for official control of residues
(guidance values, action limits, RPA, WRL, PMRL, AMRL, etc.)• National food safety authorities have different handling procedures• Often individual case decisions, each case can be different• Strong difference in residue occurrence between different countries• Thus, testing has to be risk oriented according to country of origin, the
final use and destination
www.intertek.com9 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Antibiotics: Notifications / Alerts, RASFF
RASFF PortalSearch criteria | Notified from 01/01/2012 | Notified till 28/08/2013 | Product category honey and royal jelly
date reference notificationbasis
notifiedby origin subject distribution action taken
honey and royal jelly23.01.2012 2012.0121 official control
on the marketUnitedKingdom
from NewZealand
prohibited substance nitrofuran(metabolite) nitrofurazone (SEM) (1.1µg/kg - ppb)
UnitedKingdom
informingauthorities
21.05.2012 2012.0681 official controlon the market
UnitedKingdom
from NewZealand
prohibited substance nitrofuran(metabolite) nitrofurazone (SEM) (1,2µg/kg - ppb)
UnitedKingdom
no action taken
07.06.2012 2012.0780 official controlon the market
Slovakia from Poland sulfamethoxazole (10.2 µg/kg - ppb)unauthorised in acacia honey fromPoland
Slovakia withdrawal fromthe market
03.08.2012 2012.1118 border control -consignmentreleased
Germany from Mexico sulfathiazole (34.2 µg/kg - ppb)unauthorised in honey from Mexico
Germany detained byoperator
22.10.2012 2012.1471 official controlon the market
Slovakia from Poland sulfamethoxazole (13 µg/kg - ppb)unauthorised in acacia honey fromPoland
Slovakia withdrawal fromthe market
29.11.2012 2012.1659 official controlon the market
Slovakia from Poland sulfathiazole (4.1 µg/kg - ppb) andsulfadimidine (6.3 µg/kg - ppb)unauthorised in forest honey fromPoland, with raw material from Spain
Slovakia withdrawal fromthe marketraw material
from Spain
17.04.2013 2013.0555 border control -consignmentreleased
Germany from Mexico oxytetracycline (2.4 µg/kg - ppb)unauthorised in honey from Mexico
Germany informingauthorities
www.intertek.com10 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Import Alert 36-03: Contamination with ChloramphenicolImport Alert 36-04: Contamination with Fluoroquinolones
http://www.fda.gov/forindustry/importprogram/importalerts/default.htm
Antibiotics: import alerts from FDA (USA)
Companies Origin Publishing Date********** China 2009, 2010********** Hong Kong 2013********** India 2011, 2012, 2013********** Malaysia 2009, 2010********** Mexico 2009********** Moldovia 2013********** Mongolia 2009********** Russia 2013********** Thailand 2009, 2012********** Vietnam 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
www.intertek.com11 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Antibiotic Residues in Honey, Trends 2008-2012
Group Substance
% % % % %
TrendTotal
positiveTotal
positiveTotal
positiveTotal
positiveTotal
positive
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Aminoglycosides Streptomycin,Dihydrostreptomycin 12,1 21,2 17,1 10,1 7,0 decrease
Sulfonamides Sulfathiazole, Sulfamethazineetc. 12,5 16,5 15,4 11,1 10,9 ± constant
Diaminopyrimidines Trimethoprim 4,1 4,9 3,4 2,5 1,7 slightdecrease
Tetracyclines Oxytetracycline, Tetracycline 20,4 18,7 17,9 11,0 16,2 increase
Fluoroquinolones Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin etc. 24,1 17,2 10,2 5,9 10,6 increase
Macrolides Tylosin, Erythromycin,Lincomycin 12,0 14,1 10,4 7,7 4,6 decrease
www.intertek.com12 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Antibiotic Residues in Honey, Trends 2008-2012
Group Prohibited Substance
% % % % %
TrendTotalpositive
Totalpositive
Totalpositive
Totalpositive
Totalpositive
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Chloramphenicol Chloramphenicol 7,5 3,3 3,5 2,1 2,8 slight increase
Nitroimidazoles
Metronidazole 11,6 9,0 5,0 8,7 9,7 slight increase
Ronidazole 0 0 0,7 0 0,1 ± constant
Dimetridazole 0 0 0 0 0,1 ± constant
Nitrofuran-Metabolites
AHD 0 0 0 0 0 ± constant
AMOZ 0,2 0 0,1 0 0,1 ± constant
AOZ 1,8 2,8 2,0 1,6 1,7 ± constant
SEM 0,7 1,1 2,7 3,2 1,6 slightdecrease
www.intertek.com13 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Antibiotic Residue Concentrations - 2012
Group Substance
% % % % % % %
0.1-2 µg/kg 2-5 µg/kg 5-10µg/kg
10-100µg/kg
100-200µg/kg
> 200µg/kg
Totalpositive
Aminoglycosides Streptomycin,Dihydrostreptomycin 0,0 2,9 1,7 1,8 0,3 0,4 7,0
Sulfonamides Sulfathiazole,Sulfamethazine etc. 0,2 4,2 2,3 3,4 0,4 0,5 10,9
Diaminopyrimidines Trimethoprim 0,0 0,8 0,4 0,4 0,0 0,1 1,7
Tetracyclines Oxytetracycline,Tetracycline 0,3 3,8 2,9 7,2 1,0 1,0 16,2
Fluoroquinolones Norfloxacin, Ofloxacinetc. 4,3 2,0 1,7 2,4 0,2 0,0 10,6
Macrolides Tylosin, Erythromycin,Lincomycin 1,3 1,3 0,6 1,2 0,0 0,1 4,6
www.intertek.com14 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Antibiotic Residue Concentrations - 2012
Group Prohibited Substance
% % % % %
0.05-0.3µg/kg
0.3-0.5µg/kg
0.5-1.0µg/kg > 1.0 µg/kg Total
positive
Chloramphenicol Chloramphenicol 0,5 0,5 0,6 1,2 2,8
Nitroimidazoles
Metronidazole 1,0 1,7 1,5 5,6 9,7
Ronidazole 0 0 0 0,1 0,1
Dimetridazole 0 0,04 0,04 0 0,1
Nitrofuran-Metabolites
AHD 0 0 0 0 0
AMOZ 0 0 0,06 0 0,1
AOZ 0,2 0,5 0,4 0,7 1,7
SEM 0 0,1 0,8 0,8 1,6
www.intertek.com15 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Antibiotics: Residues per Country
Example: Ukraine (stated origin)
www.intertek.com16 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Residues
Pesticides / Varroacides:• Residues are not a major issue, rarely MRL exceedances• Use of classical varroacides (coumaphos fluvalinate, amitraz) decreases (16%
positives, no MRL exceedances except for fluvalinate, chlorfenvinphos)• Increasing cross-contamination from agricultural pesticide use (6% non-
compliant with legal MRLs, 30% of claimed organic samples positive)
Carbendazim important for Vietnamese honeys and exports to USA!
0,5%0,5%0,5%0,5%0,5%0,5%1,8%3,2%
5,5%20,9%
32,7%53,2%
CarbendazimImidacloprid
PermethrinPiperonylbutoxide
tau-FluvalinateTetramethrin
DimethoatAzoxystrobinAcetamiprid
AmitrazCoumaphosThiacloprid
0,0% 10,0% 20,0% 30,0% 40,0% 50,0% 60,0%
Most detected pesticidesin honey 2012 (n~1400)
www.intertek.com17 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Residues
Wax Moth Control agents:Para-Dichlorobenzene:• 16% positives above MRL (0.01 mg/kg)• Formerly only found in GR and AUS honeys, nowadays mainly in MX honeys, but also for
GT, UY, BR
Naphthalene:• 5% positives above MRL (0.01 mg/kg)• Mostly samples from TR affected, also BG, RO
Both substances highly accumulate in wax (in the mg/kg range)!
Etylene dibromide: no positives
www.intertek.com18 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Residues
Bee Repellents:Phenol:• Approx. 4% positives > 10 µg/kg in honey, mostly MX origin• Can negatively affect honey flavor
DEET (N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide):• Caused residues in honey in recent years, e.g. in Germany 2011, but use was ceased• Still some positives in wax
Butyric anhydride/acid:• no positives found in recent years, not used anymore
Benzaldehyde (BA) / Phenylacetaldehyde (PAA):• Difficult differentiation between natural content (aroma compound) and residue due to
repellent application• Concentrations usually < 1mg/kg (BA ave. 0.13 mg/kg; PAA ave. 0.34 mg/kg)• Higher natural concentrations possible for MX and FR honeys (<5 mg/kg)
www.intertek.com19 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Residues
Volatile Hydrocarbons:• Drums contaminated with petrochemicals• 14% of tested honey samples contained residues > 10 µg/kg• Toluene and n-octane can occur individually as natual aroma compounds
1%1%1%1%
3%3%
5%6%
8%9%10%
12%12%
14%15%
17%22%22%
32%63%
m/p-XylolMethylcyclohexan
n-Butano--Xylol
2-Methylpentan + 2,3-DimethylhexanEthylbenzene
n-OctanBenzol
2,4-Dimethylpentan2,2-Dimethylbutan
2,3-Dimethylpentan3-Methylhexan
Cyclohexan + 2-Methylhexann-Heptann-Pentan
iso-Pentan (2-Methylbutan)3-Methylpentan
Toluoln-Hexan
Methylcyclopentan
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Most frequentlydetected volatile HC
www.intertek.com20 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Adulteration
Adulteration with Sugar Syrups:Commodity USD/ton Adulterant in HoneyHoney ~2100-5000Corn Syrup ~200-500 Asia, Europe, AmericasBeet Syrup ~350-700 Asia, Europe, AmericasRice Syrup ~500-700 Asia, Europe (Imports)Tapioca Syrup ~600-900 Asia, Europe (Imports)Agave Syrup ~200-350 AmericasDate Syrup ~1300 UAE (Sidr Honey)
• Sugar syrup is 10-50% cheaper than honey• Economically motivated adulteration• Production inrease despite of shortage in honey supply
www.intertek.com21 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Adulteration in the Media
Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn’t Honey…(Food Safety News, November 7, 2011)
The Most Adulterated Food Products: Olive Oil, Milk, Honey…(Journal of Food Science Vol. 77, Nr. 4, 2012)
Misleading labels, false country of origin, and additional sugar are all problemsplaguing 10 percent of honey controlled and marketed in France…(RFI News, May 18, 2013)
China- Police Discovered Honey Made Without Bees(CCTV News, June 17, 2013)
Presently up to 60 or 70% of honey on the market is fake…(Jinan Times, July 31, 2013)
Sugars-Adulteration and Antibiotics Residues Detected in Honey…(Hong-Kong Consumer Council, Choice Magazine # 441 (July 15, 2013)
www.intertek.com22 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Adulteration in the Media
Economically Motivated Adulteration (EMA)
Honey Laundering (Transshipment)
Source: National Center for Food Protection and Defense (DHS/FDA/USDA), FoodShield.org
www.intertek.com23 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Import Alert 36-01 "Adulteration of honey"
http://www.fda.gov/forindustry/importprogram/importalerts/default.htm
Adulteration: import alerts from FDA (USA)
Company Origin Publishing Date********** Malysia 2 October 2012********** New Zealand 12 June 2012********** New Zealand 21 May 2012********** Saudi Arabia 6 February 2013********** Turkey 30 March 2013********** Turkey 3 October 2011********** Vietnam 12 September 2012
www.intertek.com24 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Adulteration: alert notifications in RASFF (EU)
www.intertek.com25 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Adulteration: Food Fraud Database
http://www.foodfraud.org
www.intertek.com26 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Adulteration: Food Fraud Database
http://www.foodfraud.org
www.intertek.com27 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Adulteration Testing: Methods
Method Reference Adulterant ISO 17025Accreditation
Also used byotherlaboratories
Proficiency tests (PT),Interlaboratorycomparison tests(ILCT)
13C/12C isotope ratioof honey and honeyprotein (EA-IRMS)
AOAC 998.12 C4 sugars (corn syrup, sugarcane syrup, agave syrup)
YES YES YES (PT)
13C/12C isotope ratioof honey and honeyprotein (EA-CRDS)
National Honey Board/USDA ResearchProject (USA), finished Sept. 2012
C4 sugars (corn syrup, sugarcane syrup, agave syrup)
YES NO YES (PT)
13C/12C isotope ratioof honey, honeyprotein andindividual sugars(EA/LC-IRMS)
• J. Agric. Food Chem. 54 (2006)9719-9727
• Apidologie 39 (2008) 574-587• AOAC 122nd Meeting (2008)• Korean J. Apic. 25 (2010) 63-76• Chin. J. Chromatogr. 29 (2011)
15-19
C4 sugars and C3 sugars (e.g.wheat syrup, rice syrup, beetinvert sugar, tapioca syrup,chicory syrup)
YES YES YES (ILCT)PT not available
Beta-Fructofuranosidase(LC-RI)
• Intertek Publication 05.02.2010• DLR 104 (2008) 55-57• Chin. J. Anal. Chem. 10 (2012)
1602-1606
invert sugar from sucrose (e.g.beet invert sugar)
YES YES YES (ILCT)PT not available
Beta-/Gamma-Amylases(LC-UV)
• Intertek Publication 05.02.2010• Czech J. Food Sci. 27 (2009)
S280-282• Chin. J. Anal. Chem. 8 (2012)
777-781
Invert sugar syrups producedfrom starch (e.g. rice syrup,wheat syrup)
YES YES YES (ILCT)PT not available
Thermoresistantalpha-amylase(enzymatic test)
PM DE01_090 mod. (modified inhousemethod for diastase activity)
Unauthorized use of heatstable alpha-amylase(Termamyl®), addition of invertsugar syrups produced fromstarch (e.g. rice syrup, wheatsyrup)
NO (new testsince 9/2012,accreditationin preparation)
YES PT not availableILCT not available
SM-R (LC-MS/MS) PM DE01-190 (inhouse method,developed in cooperation with ChineseCIQ laboratory)
Specific marker for rice syrup YES YES YES (ILCT)PT not available
TM-R (ICP-MS) PM DE01-205 (inhouse method) Trace marker for rice syrup YES NO YES (PT)
www.intertek.com28 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Method Reference Adulterant ISO 17025Accreditation
Also used byotherlaboratories
Proficiency tests (PT),Interlaboratorycomparison tests(ILCT)
Honey-foreignoligosaccharides(LC-ELSD)
National Honey Board/USDA ResearchProject (USA), finished Sept. 2012
Polysaccharide based sugarsyrups (e.g. corn syrup, wheatsyrup, rice syrup, inulin syrup,dextrins syrup)
YES YES PT not availableILCT not available
Caramel color E150d(LC-MS/MS)
PM DE01_185 (inhouse method) Unauthorized addition ofcaramel color
YES YES YES (ILCT)PT not available
Pollen analysis(microscopy) andsensory analysis
DIN 10760 (pollen analysis)PM DE01_108 (inhouse method,sensory)
Microscopic picture andorganoleptic properties mustmatch for authentic honey
YES YES YES (PT)
Diastase activity(enzymatic test)
PM DE01_090 (inhouse method fordiastase activity), referenced to IHCmethods (Schade, Phadebas)
Decrease indicates heatdamage or dilution by syrupaddition
YES YES YES (PT)
Invertase activity(enzymatic test)
DIN 10759, Part 1 Decrease indicates heatdamage or dilution by syrupaddition
YES YES YES (PT)
Proline content(photometric test)
DIN 10754 Decrease indicates heatdamage or dilution by syrupaddition
YES YES YES (PT)
Ascorbic acid(LC-UV)
DIN EN 14130 mod. Sugar syrup produced by lowtemperature acid conversion
YES YES YES (PT)
Sulfite(distillation/titration)
DIN EN 1988, Part 1 Sugar syrup produced by lowtemperature acid conversion
YES YES YES (ILCT)
Citric acid(enzymatic test)
DIN EN 1137 mod. Sugar syrup produced by lowtemperature acid conversion
NO YES YES (ILCT)
Adulteration Testing: Methods, continued
www.intertek.com29 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Method Syrup # of analyses 2012(% adulterated)
# of analyses 1-8, 2013(% adulterated)
C13 EA-IRMS/CRDS C4 all 3900 (12) 5222 (7)
C13 EA/LC-IRMS C4/C3 all 7120 (8) 5707 (10)
SM-R RS only 2465 (12) 1612 (6)
TM-R RS only 1665 (29) 1623 (21)
Hf-OS C4/C3 SS 328 (36) 2047 (32)
-FF C4/C3 IS 6397 (2) 3563 (2)
-; -AMYL C4/C3 SS 2979 (8) 2255 (6)
HS -AMYL C4/C3 SS 18 (39) 726 (55*)
E 150d - 594 (36) 628 (19)
Adulteration Testing: Hit Rates (Positives)
RS: rice syrupSS: starch syrupIS: inverted sugar
* 97% CN
www.intertek.com30 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: GMO
GMO pollen:• New „problem“ due to EU Court Decision in September 2011• Rare problems within EU due to the restrictive GMO politics• Big problem (initially) for major honey exporting countries with liberal
GMO crop legislation and widespread agricultural use• Legal situation still unclear (change of EU honey drafted)• Detection possible, but quantification impossible• Difficulty in verification of 0.9% limit required for GMO labeling• No tolerance level for food in place (feed: 0.1% = GMO free)• Pragmatic analytical concept for marketability assessment:
• Screening for presence of GMO (e.g.: tripe-screening: 35S, T-nos, FMV)• Exclusion of presence of non-authorized GMO (maize, rape events)
• 10% of all honeys tested were positive for GMO• Majority of positives from South America (AR, CL, …)• Only 7% of the positive samples contained non-authorized GMO
(MON810 maize, T25 maize, MS8 rape and GT73 rape) e.g. Ukraine: GT73 positive
www.intertek.com31 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (PA):• Toxic substances naturally occurring in honey• Plants produce them as defense against herbivores• Honey was first targeted food• Currently tea is in the public focus• No MRLs in place due to lack in toxicology studies an scientific
knowledge about ocurrence• First risk assessments from German BfR and EFSA (0.007 µg/kg bw /d)• Minimizing principle as EU strategy• Codex Alimentarius Works on Guidelines (can take years)• But how to control PA-plants and bees foraging on them ?• Minimizing PA content by blending of commercial honeys not desired• Unifloral honeys: high quality but also high PA
www.intertek.com32 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
PA concentations in raw honeys (n~4800 in 2012)
µg/kg World AR BR CL UY MX CU E EU S EU CN
< 1 24% 13% 10% 17% 2% 15% 2% 68% 28% 87%
1-20 53% 43% 30% 51% 11% 64% 67% 31% 66% 13%
21-50 14% 29% 32% 20% 16% 14% 22% 1% 5% 0%
51-100 5% 10% 16% 7% 22% 4% 8% 0% 1% 0%
101-200 3% 4% 9% 4% 27% 2% 1% 0% 0% 0%
>200 1% 1% 3% 1% 22% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0%
www.intertek.com33 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Authenticity / Source / Origin
Geographical an Botanical Origin• Microscopic pollen analysis is the only approved method (e.g. DIN, IHC)• No suitable analytical alternative found so far (e.g. isotopic/minerals profiling)• Few experts worldwide, profound expertise necessary• No legal standard, scientific literature and individual expert knowledge as basis
for interpretation, distinction unifloral – polyfloral often a problem• Pollen, legal aspects: natural constituent (EU) or foreign material (USA)?• Pollen, technological aspects: honey crystallization, shelf life• Origin labeling: individual countries or regions?• Authenticity: pollen spectrum/sediment and sensory must match• Climate can have an influence on pollen sprectra and sensory (flowering times)• Neigbouring countries sometimes difficult to distiguish (similar fauna)• Processing of raw honeys (e.g. filtration) may influence the analytical result• Degree of filtration/removal of pollen: labeling required / consumer fraud?• Pollen content prone to manipulationsAnalytical testing can only be one part of the traceability!
www.intertek.com34 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Honey Quality: Commercial Analysis 2012
Parameter Legal Limit Distribution Remarks
HMF (mg/kg)(n~7000)
40 (80) <15: 80.1%15-40: 16.5%40-80: 2.6%
>80: 0,8%
ave. content: 5-8 most countrieshighest ave. content: USA (28)
Diastase(n~6000)
8 (3) <3: 1.1%3-8: 4.8%
8-50: 92.6%>50: 1.5%
lowest ave. content: CN (14)
South America > North America >Cental America > Europe > Asia
Invertase(n~600)
60 (45) <45: 17%45-64: 7%
>64: 77%
CN: 50% below 9 !
Proline (mg/kg)(n~900)
200 (180) <200: 16%200-400: 74%400-600: 7%
>600: 3%
lowest ave. content: Mx, ARhighest ave. content: BR, GR
Glycerol (mg/kg) (300) <300: 60%>300: 40 %
lowest ave. content: ARhighest ave. content: CN
No major issues with moisture and free acid content
www.intertek.com35 © Intertek 2013,All Rights Reserved
Thank youand
honey bee good!
End of Presentation