Comparison of Different Methods for Determining 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in Assessing the Quality of Honey from Greater Poland

Abstract

This paper presents the results of testing the content of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in honey from Greater Poland. The production of honey from this area of Poland, its processing, and its consumption are closely related to the sustainable development of this region. It is created in the process of the production, storage, and transport of honey, especially during its thermal processing. Therefore, it can be an indicator in the analysis of sustainable development throughout the life cycle of honey and its products. The aim of this research was to determine the HMF content in Greater Poland’s honey available on the Polish market using three different methods and to compare the obtained results. The methodology used was as follows: two spectrophotometric methods (White and Winkler) and an HMF determination method based on the LC-MS/MS technique developed especially for this study. The determined HMF content in all tested honey samples did not exceed the applicable standard. The determined HMF values in all honey samples ranged from 0 to 28.5 mg HMF/kg honey. All results fell within the scope of European Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001, i.e., they did not exceed the HMF content in honey, which is 40 mg/kg. The results will encourage modifications to the universal honey testing procedures to be developed for the agri-food sector. In the study, seven honeys of different origins and types were selected; three HMF detection methods were selected; a comparative procedure was developed; and the content of the reference ingredient in honey was determined.