Detection of Honey Adulteration Using UV–Vis Absorption Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

Abstract

This preliminary study demonstrates the use of ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy coupled with chemometric modeling to detect and quantify honey adulteration. UV–vis spectra of pure honey and samples experimentally adulterated with corn, agave, and date syrups were collected within the 200–500 nm range after their simple dilution with water. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) distinguished pure honey from adulterated samples, achieving 88% accuracy on an external validation dataset. A second set of classification models differentiated between honey containing a single adulterant and that containing multiple adulterants, with a high prediction rate based on an external validation dataset. Quantitative analysis of adulterant content via orthogonal partial least squares regression analysis revealed the strong predictive performance of the models (R2 ≥ 0.87) on an external validation dataset. The proposed proof-of-concept study provides a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive screening tool for honey authentication with minimal sample preparation.