Voltammetric determination of hydroxymethylfurfural in honey using screen-printed carbon electrodes: optimization and in-house validation tests

Bee honey has gained significant interest as a crucial commodity in Brazilian agribusiness, leading to its increased consumption in recent years because of its nutritional properties in humans. Legislation based on the Codex Alimentarius establishes quality control parameters essential for ensuring the safety and quality of honey. These parameters include the measurement of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), an indicator of honey quality. Currently, the primary methods for determining HMF concentration in honey are spectrophotometric and chromatographic tests. This study proposes a simpler alternative electroanalytical methodology that uses a screen-printed carbon electrode to monitor the HMF in honey. This portable technique offers advantages over commonly used methods, such as lower cost, similar efficacy, and requirement of only 70 µL of solution per analysis. Square-wave voltammetry was employed to determine HMF in Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 9.0), and the technique was optimized based on the experimental design, generating statistical chemical prediction results. The optimal values for modulation amplitude, step potential, and frequency were 81.5 mV, 22.5 mV, and 5 Hz, respectively. The recovery rate was within the limits established by AOAC International (80–110%), except for the concentration of 6.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, which showed a 2.07% higher recovery, indicating a minor matrix effect. The calibration curve had an R² value of 99%, with a limit of detection of 6.76 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ and a limit of quantification of 2.23 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. Therefore, a rapid, cost-effective, and efficient methodology was established to quantify HMF in honey.

Graphical Abstract

A simpler and portable electroanalytical methodology based on screen-printed carbon electrodes to determine the HMF in honey