Honey fraud refers to the deliberate mislabelling and cheapening of honey products by adding poorer quality ingredients and claiming it as honey. Honey fraud is the second most common food fraud, after milk.
Honey Authenticity Testing Using Advanced Technology
Researchers from Aston’s Institute for Photonic Technologies (AIPT) and The Scottish Bee Company were provided an AI feasibility grant from Innovate UK to develop the honey authenticity testing technology. The project aims to enhance consumer confidence, elevate product value, and safeguard the reputation of British honey.
A light-based technique called Fluorescence Excitation-Emission (FLE) spectroscopy, combined with
machine learning, will be used to examine honey samples. This method is faster and more reliable compared to traditional methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance. The team at Aston University, led by Alex Rozhin, Reader in Nanotechnology within the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT), aims to surpass existing state-of-the-art methods for assessing honey authenticity.
Using Machine Learning to Identify Honey Fraud
The team will utilize advanced machine learning techniques, specifically parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), to analyse honey samples. These techniques offer the capability to identify the chemical constituents, assess their ratios, and determine quality markers within the samples. This combined approach will help detect honey fraud in a much more effective way.
Addressing Honey Fraud and Its Global Implications
Iain Millar, director of The Scottish Bee Company, expressed concerns that honey fraud isn’t just a consumer rights issue—it has far-reaching implications for food security, land use, and biodiversity. He praised Aston University’s expertise in the area of food fraud, noting the importance of protecting the integrity of the UK honey market.
The project also involves Lynne Ingram, master beekeeper and founder of Honey Authenticity Network UK (HAN UK), who has campaigned for years to raise awareness of honey adulteration globally and in the UK. “We are delighted to be working with Aston University, The Scottish Bee Company, and the British Beekeepers Association on the development of this exciting new test that will go some way to overcoming the problem of honey fraud in the UK.”
Next Steps and Future of Honey Fraud Testing
The project is expected to continue for six months and will be used for a UK-wide initiative to create a database of honey samples and develop portable instruments for honey sampling and detection.
