Detection of adulterations of honey with high fructose syrups from inulin by GC analysis

A GC-MS method has been developed for the detection of honey adulteration with high fructose inulin syrups (HFIS). Carbohydrate composition of HFIS with different degrees of polymerization was studied; fructose, sucrose, dianhydrides of fructose (DFAs), inulobiose, kestoses and inulotriose were detected in all the samples. Honey adulterations with 5%, 10% and 20% of HFIS were performed. Inulotriose proved to be the best marker of honey adulteration with these syrups since it was not detected in any of the honey samples analyzed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.