False Honeys from Ecuador can be Detected by a Simple Test

Objective: Fake honeys from the Ecuadorian market were collected and analyzed with the quality indicators of the Venezuelan honey norm and a simple test. Method: Ash, free acidity, moisture, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, qualitative diastase activity, qualitative hydroxymethylfurfural, and a simple test based on the number of phases formed after shaking honey water dilutions with diethyl ether were used to study Ecuadorian fake honeys. A sensory kit is mentioned as an option to differentiate genuine and fake honeys. Result: The results obtained for 21 fake Ecuadorian honeys from 12 provinces, show that the simple test could detect all of them, by the difference of two phases instead of three phases characteristic for genuine Apis mellifera honey. Likewise the qualitative diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural. On the other hand, ash and moisture honey standards were easily fulfilled by fake honeys. Conclusion: The hydroxymethylfurfural and diastase activity are the golden standard to detect Ecuadorian fake honeys, because ash, free acidity, moisture, reducing sugars and apparent sucrose standards can be met by most fake honeys. The simple diethyl ether test also detected 100% of the fake honeys, and it is recommended as a nonofficial approach to confirm honey authenticity.