A Synergistic Approach Combining Stable Carbon Isotope Ratio Analysis and Melissopalynology for the Authentication of Honey from Thailand

Abstract

Honey adulteration has long been a nuisance in local and international trade. Sugar syrup addition and false labeling of botanical origin have created a challenge in identifying fraudulent honey supplies and products. Stable carbon isotope ratio analysis (SCIRA) has been widely employed in honey authentication. While it is effective in identifying the addition of C4 plant-derived sugars, it does not provide information related to honey’s botanical source. This research investigated the combination of SCIRA and melissopalynology to provide a more robust assessment of honey integrity and showed that PCA analysis of δ¹³C together with sugar profiles could further improve the decision involving addition of sugar syrups. A total of 34 beekeeper honey samples were analyzed from 7 provinces of Thailand with a focus on longan honey. Twenty-four samples passed the δ¹³C criteria, exhibiting δ¹³C of bulk honey ranging from −28.53 ± 0.19‰ to −22.89 ± 0.08‰ and δ¹³C of extracted protein ranging from −29.30 ± 0.07‰ to −22.76 ± 0.03‰. Pollen profiling further eliminated honey of questionable and multifloral origins, yielding only eight samples that passed both criteria of being monofloral and not being adulterated with C4-derived sugars. These included six samples of longan honey and two honey samples of other botanical origins, yielding an overall passing rate of 23.5%. Our study showed that by combining SCIRA and melissopalynology, a robust determination of honey integrity could be achieved.