Detection of heat treatment of honey with near infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

Heat treatment of honey is usually applied due to crystallized form is not preferred by the consumers and makes handling harder to producers and beekeepers. Our aim is to find a method that can detect heat treatment of honey even at lower levels. In the study honeys were heated at 40°C, 60°C, 80°C, 100°C for one, two, three and four hours. Moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, HMF, color were determined, and spectra of honeys were recorded with NIRS. Results showed that NIRS could distinguish the honeys heated at 40°C while HMF was able to detect higher than 60°C treatment at significant level.