Detection of honey falsification with an admixture of sodium bicarbonate using the bromothymol blue indicator

Abstract

A method for detecting honey falsification with sodium bicarbonate, added deliberately to reduce the mass fraction of water in honey, increase its density and consistency, eliminate signs of fermentation and reduce contamination by microorganisms, has been substantiated. The used indicator is bromothymol blue alcohol solution with a mass concentration of 0.01% in an amount of 2-3 drops. In the absence of sodium bicarbonate admixture in honey, the colour of the solution is olive; in case of the sodium bicarbonate addition up to 1.0% of the honey volume - it turns light blue; from 1.1 to 2.0% – sky blue; from 2.1 to 3.0% – dark blue. The proposed method is reliable, fast, easy to carry out, does not require a lot of cost for reagents and can be used in combination with other methods for determining the safety and quality of honey, as well as detecting its falsifications. The developed method can be used to detect honey falsification with sodium bicarbonate when determining its safety and quality in production laboratories at facilities for the production of honey and apiproducts, supermarkets, wholesale depots, stores, state laboratories of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP), in government laboratories, in laboratories at designated border inspection posts when carrying out simple laboratory tests using express methods, as well as during the forensic examination of honey. Based on the results of the developed author’s method, it is possible to obtain qualitative characteristics for assessing the honey safety and its quality. The possibility of using an express and effective control system within the framework of simple laboratory tests at designated border inspection posts will allow the implementation of an effective food control system at the stage of their state border verification. Establishing mismatches at the stage of border control and sending laboratory samples for extended laboratory studies (tests) to the state laboratory of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, will strengthen the effectiveness of the control system at the stage of early detection of insecurity indicators and prevent the products release that do not meet safety and quality characteristics into circulation. The development of a methodological concept and the creation of a base of methods for detecting honey falsification will contribute to the distribution of safe and high-quality products for consumers, systematization of simple methods for food products study, including honey, in laboratories at designated border inspection posts, during the implementation of state control measures at the Ukrainian state border, will increase the reliability, objectivity and accuracy of the results of the examination, in case of carrying out.

Keywords

• honey
• falsification
• sodium bicarbonate
• bromothymol blue
• quality and safety