Determine glucose and fructose in honey

The analysis of glucose and fructose in honey can be reliably and precisely performed using ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection

Honey is composed primarily of the simple sugars glucose and fructose - known as mono-saccharides - and a further 17 to 20% of water.

Honey also contains other types of sugars such as sucrose (which is fructose and glucose linked together).

Fructose is slightly sweeter than sucrose and glucose is less sweet.

The sweetness of monofloral honey - a honey made from a single flower source - is dependant on the ratio of fructose to glucose that results from the bees' processing the nectar of the flower.

Most of the honey sold in supermarkets is a blend of varieties to create a consistent flavour and sweetness profile, but in most honeys fructose predominates and a sweet honey results.

The analysis of glucose and fructose in honey can be reliably and precisely performed using ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (Pad) using the 817 Bioscan from Metrohm.

The Bioscan employs a maintenance-free measuring cell which means that polishing of the working electrode is no longer required, offering improved instrument analysis uptimes.

All ion chromatography instruments from Metrohm come backed by with the 'cool' guarantee which means that the cost of ownership is lower than with competitors' instruments.

A number of options are available with regard to the instrument configuration and the Bioscan is eminently suited to Metrohm inline sample preparation (Misp) to reduce sample handling.

The system itself requires no costly eluent generation cartridges or overhead gases, simply basic laboratory reagents and a supply of ultra-pure deionised water.

The sample was diluted 1:10000 in total with deionised water (with a little heat to aid dissolution) and filtered through a 0.45um filter before injection into the 817 Bioscan and separation performed using a Metrohm Carb 1 column with a hydroxide based mobile phase.

A flavour profile of 27% glucose and 39% fructose was obtained from the chromatogram.

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