Mānuka honey authentication is currently based on four markers (3-phenyllactic acid, 2′-methoxyacetophenone, 2-methoxybenzoic acid, and 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid) which must be present at minimum concentrations. Sophisticated fraudsters could augment these markers to mask dilution or substitution with cheaper honey. A recent study (here – open access) used chemometrics to propose 19 other markers which are unique to manuka. Nine of these are reported for the first time. The authors propose that this wider panel of markers, measured by LC-MS, would make fraudulent masking of dilution much more difficult.
Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash
Comments