Detection of adulterations of honey with high fructose syrups from inulin by GC analysis

A GC–MS method has been developed for the detection of honey adulteration with high fructose inulin syrups (HFIS). Carbohydrate composition of HFIS with different degrees of polymerization was studied; fructose, sucrose, dianhydrides of fructose (DFAs), inulobiose, kestoses and inulotriose were detected in all the samples. Honey adulterations with 5%, 10% and 20% of HFIS were performed. Inulotriose proved to be the best marker of honey adulteration with these syrups since it was not detected in any of the honey samples analyzed.