Analysis Note

function control: conforms

General description

Method: reflectometric with test strips 1.0 - 60.0 mg/l Reflectoquant^®

The freshness of honey is determined by measuring its hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. HMF is an organic compound that arises from the dehydration of fructose, e.g. when honey is heated for easier filling. HMF is barely detectable in freshly centrifuged honey, but increases at 2-3 mg/kg annually, depending on storage temperature and pH. At 21°C, HMF content can rise to 20 mg/kg in just one year. The Reflectoquant™ HMF Test is the first rapid test for the determination of HMF content, delivering accurate quantitative results in just a few minutes after sample preparation. Easy-to-use, portable and economical, the test is ideal for monitoring raw materials, as well as manufacturing and filling processes. This test provides a simple on-site alternative to time consuming HPLC analysis. On the test strip, HMF reacts with a barbituric acid derivative and an aminophenazone derivative to form a red-violet compound that is determined reflectometrically on the RQflex™.

Legal Information

RQFLEX is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

REFLECTOQUANT is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Linkage

Replaces: 1.17952.0007