Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) for Honey Profiling

The authenticity of honey is a continuously growing challenge for the food industry, as it is one of the most adulterated foods worldwide. Honey is seen as a natural product; according to various legislations only a very limited amount of handling is allowed during its harvesting and manufacturing. One of the most common adulteration practices is the addition of cheap sugar syrups. Depending on their quality and purity, this can be very challenging to detect.

In recent years, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has emerged as a very powerful tool in food analysis, not only to detect adulteration and other manipulations, but also to statistically determine and verify the origin and variety for a wide range of products, including honey. NMR has been used as a standard method in chemical and pharmaceutical analytics for decades.

Honey profiling is based on a screening approach, meaning that NMR records a 1H(hydrogen)-profile under standardized conditions. Those profiles are used to analyze the honey’s composition, as well as for statistical comparison and verification with thousands of authentic reference samples.

In this webinar, we will discuss the features and possibilities of NMR screening method, how our trained and experienced team arrives at their conclusions, and our recommendations for a complete honey authenticity test. 

To access the webinar on-demand please complete the form below.

Speaker:

Daniel Schaal is the Laboratory Supervisor for NMR at Intertek. Daniel received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Bayreuth, Germany. During his time at University he participated in several research projects regarding high-resolution NMR on proteins at the chair of Biopolymers and is currently summarizing his research in a doctoral thesis. In late 2017, he joined Intertek and is currently working on designing and establishing new methods.