Dua Ajit, Bahman Sanjivan, Kelly Simon, Dogra Shainandni, Sharma Kirti
Punjab Biotechnology Incubator, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar 140306, Punjab, India.
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria.
Foods. 2025 Apr 8;14(8):1289. doi: 10.3390/foods14081289.
The present study was undertaken for the first time in India to generate a database of isotopic signatures of authentic Indian honey to verify the regulatory criteria laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). In this study, ninety-eight (98) authentic honey samples from nineteen (19) different botanical sources were collected from five (05) geographical regions of India and analyzed to generate a database of stable carbon isotope ratios (C/C) by Elemental Analyzer/Liquid Chromatography-Isotopic Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA/LC-IRMS). The samples were analyzed for the parameters C(C), C(C), C individual sugars, ∆C(C), C4 sugar, ∆C(C), ∆C, and foreign oligosaccharides (FOs), as per the official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC 998.12) and the FSSAI. The results were evaluated against the published literature and Indian regulatory criteria for authentic honey. The C value for honey (C) ranged from -22.07 to -29.02‱. It was found that 94% of Indian honey samples met the criteria for ΔC (≥-1.0‱), ΔC (±1.0‱), and C4 sugar content (7% maximum), with negative C4 sugar values treated as 0% as prescribed by the AOAC method. Further, 86% of samples met the FO criteria (maximum 0.7% peak area). Thus, the data of this study provide scientific backing for these four (04) parameters as per the FSSAI regulation. However, the non-compliance of a high number (47%) of authentic honey samples for ΔC (±2.1‱) compels further systematic investigation with a special focus on bee feeding practices. Further, in the present study, it was found that honey samples with a ΔC greater than +1‱ and a C4 sugar content more negative than -7% also did not comply with the ΔC criteria. Hence, ΔC values (>+1‱ equivalent to C4 sugar < -7%) could be an indicator of C3 adulteration to some extent.
本研究首次在印度开展，旨在建立真实印度蜂蜜同位素特征数据库，以验证印度食品安全标准管理局（FSSAI）制定的监管标准。在本研究中，从印度五个地理区域收集了来自19种不同植物来源的98份真实蜂蜜样本，并通过元素分析仪/液相色谱-同位素比率质谱仪（EA/LC-IRMS）进行分析，以生成稳定碳同位素比率（C/C）数据库。按照美国官方分析化学师协会（AOAC 998.12）和FSSAI的官方分析方法，对样本进行了C(C)、C(C)、C单糖、∆C(C)、C4糖、∆C(C)、∆C和外源寡糖（FOs）等参数的分析。根据已发表的文献和印度真实蜂蜜的监管标准对结果进行了评估。蜂蜜的C值（C）范围为-22.07至-29.02‰。结果发现，94%的印度蜂蜜样本符合∆C（≥-1.0‰）、∆C（±1.0‰）和C4糖含量（最高7%）的标准，按照AOAC方法，C4糖含量为负值时按0%处理。此外，86%的样本符合FO标准（最大峰面积0.7%）。因此，本研究的数据为FSSAI法规规定的这四个参数提供了科学依据。然而，大量（47%）真实蜂蜜样本不符合∆C（±2.1‰）的标准，这就需要进一步进行系统调查，特别关注蜜蜂的喂养方式。此外，在本研究中还发现，∆C大于+1‰且C4糖含量比-7%更负的蜂蜜样本也不符合∆C标准。因此，∆C值（> +1‰相当于C4糖< -7%）在一定程度上可能是C3掺假的一个指标。
