Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Coupled to Element Analyzer and Liquid Chromatography to Identify Commercial Honeys of Various Botanical Types

The aim of the present work was to investigate whether honeys of various botanical characteristics could be discriminated and identified on the basis of the isotopic data. For this purpose, 45 commercial honey samples of various botanical types were analyzed using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) coupled to element analyzer (EA) and liquid chromatography (LC). δ ¹³C values of honey; corresponding extracted protein and individual sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) of honey; reducing sugar; and sucrose contents were determined and utilized to demonstrate the authenticity of commercial honeys of different botanical types. Results indicated that a very strong correlation (δ ¹³C_protein = 0.862δ ¹³C_honey + 0.800, R ² = 0.944) was observed between δ ¹³C honey values and δ ¹³C protein values of real honey samples. δ ¹³C_honey and δ ¹³C_protein should range from ?27.2 to ?23.5 and ?26.9 to ?23.6‰ for pure honeys of various botanical types investigated in this study. The use of isotopic compositions and some systematic differences as authenticity criterion permits the honey samples of various botanical types to be reliably detected.