The new NMR screening solution specifically for the analysis of honey is the latest module of Bruker’s FoodScreener product line, which will be released in April.

The solution delivers targeted and non-targeted analysis to simultaneously identify and quantify a multitude of honey characteristics, including sugar, acid and amino acid content, as well as the addition of different types of syrup or other sugar solutions.

The ease of use allows non-expert users to conduct analyses from measurement to final report.

ALNuMed GmbH managing director Dr Stephan Schwarzinger said: "Honey is high in demand but low in supply due to a number of reasons.

"Consequently, the number of adulterated products in the market was strongly increasing in the recent years.

"Adulteration, including wrong declaration of the geographic origin, is becoming more difficult to prove by single parameters.

"Hence, in our experience a quantitative multi-parametric approach such as the NMR-based honey-profiling currently presents the best choice for proving the authenticity of a honey."

Bruker BioSpin’s Applied, Industrial and Clinical (AIC) division chief technology officer Dr Manfred Spraul said: "This new NMR solution for honey provides a cost efficient way for comprehensive quality and authenticity control.

"NMR offers unique capabilities in validating variety and origin even if the pollen are removed from the honey."

The database developed for honey-profiling contains thousands of authentic samples with worldwide coverage due to support from Quality Services International and ALNuMed. The database will be extended on a regular basis.

This will be hugely advantageous for customers in the honey industry, analytical service providers and government control agencies.