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

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.