Honey is the most adulterated food product in the country. The usual trick is sugar syrup — rice or cane — blended in at a level that a taste test will never catch. So here is the whole table we test against, and what each line is actually for.
What catches syrup
- C4 sugar — detects cane and corn syrup. Must be at or below 7%.
- 2-AFGP — a marker for rice syrup specifically. Must be absent entirely.
- Foreign oligosaccharides — catches the newer syrups designed to beat the C4 test.
- Pollen count — real honey carries pollen. Syrup does not.
The full specification
| Parameter | Specification | Unit | Test method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture | ≤ 20.0 | % | IS 4941 (Part 1) |
| Total reducing sugars (as invert sugar) | ≥ 65.0 | % | IS 4941 (Part 2) |
| Sucrose | ≤ 5.0 | % | IS 4941 (Part 3) |
| Fructose / glucose ratio | 0.95 – 1.50 | – | IS 4941 (Part 3) |
| Total ash | ≤ 0.50 | % | IS 4941 (Part 4) |
| Free acidity | ≤ 50 | meq acid / 1000 g | IS 4941 (Part 5) |
| Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) | ≤ 80 | mg/kg | IS 4941 (Part 6) |
| Diastase activity | ≥ 3 | Schade units/g | IS 4941 (Part 7) |
| Water insoluble matter | ≤ 0.10 | % | IS 4941 (Part 8) |
| C4 sugar (marker for sugar syrup) | ≤ 7.0 | % | IS 4941 (Part 9) |
| Pollen count and plant elements | ≥ 5,000 | per g | IS 4941 (Part 10) |
| Proline | ≥ 180 | mg/kg | IS 4941 (Part 11) |
| Electrical conductivity | ≤ 0.8 | mS/cm | IS 4941 (Part 12) |
| 2-Acetylfuran-3-Glucopyranoside (2-AFGP), marker for rice syrup | Absent | – | IS 4941 (Part 13) |
| Foreign oligosaccharides (marker for foreign sugar syrup) | ≤ 0.7 | % peak area | IS 4941 (Part 14) |
- These are regulatory reference values under FSSAI for honey (not listed under honeydew).
- Actual shipment specifications are confirmed by the lot-specific Certificate of Analysis issued by a NABL-accredited laboratory.
- Honeydew and specified special honey categories may have different applicable limits.
Your batch
Every jar carries a batch number. Ask us for the certificate of analysis for yours and we will send it — it is your honey and your result.