*2.13. Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis*

The authenticity of different types of honey can also be confirmed by infrared spectroscopy.

Infrared spectroscopy covers the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation in the range between the visible region and the microwave region (14,300–200 cm−1; 700–50,000 nm). Depending on the wavelength, it is divided into the following types of spectroscopy:


Quick quantitative and qualitative determination of the individual parameters that determine the quality of natural bee honeys is possible thanks to the use of spectroscopy in the NIR range. Through the basic analysis of the spectra, it is possible to distinguish between honeydew, artificial and nectar honeys, while using chemometrics, it is possible to determine the varieties of nectar honeys.

Studies conducted over the years have also shown the possibility of the presence of corn fructose in honey [78,79,127,133,143–145].

This method has many advantages: speed of measurement, low cost and use of a small amount of the test sample, which will not be destroyed. Rich libraries of spectra facilitate the identification of unknown substances. However, it should be remembered that different peaks in the spectrum may overlap, which can make interpretation difficult [143–147].
