Honey is one of the most commonly adulterated food products in the world, often through the addition of sugar syrups to increase volume and reduce purity. The C4 sugar test is a widely used method for detecting this type of adulteration and can be performed as either a C4 AOAC Test or a C4 Screening Test
Hill Labs offer two methods of the C4 sugar test, allowing cost effective solutions for each stage of honey production.
C4 AOAC: This test detects if honey has been adulterated by the addition of sugar. This test is conducted using Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS). The C4 AOAC method is the internationally recognised method and is what you will need if you require this test for export.
C4 Screen: The C4 Screen method is a cost effective “screening” method, intended to be used at extraction to confirm your winter feeding schedule has not contaminated your honey with C4 sugars. This method cannot be used for export purposes.
C4 AOAC: Results for routine testing are available in five working days and then two working days for urgent testing from receipt of sample.
C4 Screen: Results for routine testing are available in four working days and then two working days for urgent testing from receipt of sample.
Contact Us Read the technical note Download the honey testing brochure
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As a New Zealand accredited laboratory by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), Hill Labs' commitment to quality is tantamount to our overall operating philosophy. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work.
