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Honey Testing

Authenticity, sugar-profile, HMF, quality and heavy-metal testing of honey to FSSAI & IS standards.

Overview What We Test Parameters Methods Accreditation Samples Process FAQ

Food & Agricultural Testing

About Honey Testing

Honey is among the most sophisticated adulteration targets in the food trade, with rice and corn syrups engineered specifically to defeat older detection methods. CVR Labs tests raw, processed and branded honey for moisture, HMF, Fiehe's test, the fructose:glucose and sucrose sugar profile, electrical conductivity, free acidity and specific gravity that distinguish genuine honey from a sweetened imitation.

We add a full heavy-metal panel — lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel, copper, tin and zinc by ICP-MS — with reporting against FSSAI and IS honey standards. This accredited authenticity, quality and safety panel gives exporters and brands the evidence buyers and regulators now ask of Indian honey.

Most Requested

Signature tests under Honey Testing

The checks clients most often ask for with this service — we build the right sub-panel around your product and standard.

Moisture & HMFFiehe's testFructose/glucose & sucroseElectrical conductivityFree acidityHeavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Hg)

Test Coverage

What we analyse under Honey Testing

The parameter groups below are drawn from this service's own accredited scope; the full searchable list follows.

Syrup adulteration is engineered

Modern rice and corn syrups are designed to pass basic tests; the sugar profile (fructose:glucose, sucrose), Fiehe's test and HMF together flag adulteration and heat abuse.

HMF reveals heat and age

High HMF indicates overheating or prolonged storage and downgrades honey quality — a core FSSAI and Codex parameter.

Heavy metals reach honey too

Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury can enter honey from the environment; our ICP-MS panel quantifies them against FSSAI limits.

Authenticity & sugar profile

Fructose : Glucose ratioSucroseTotal reducing sugarFiehe's testHMFElectrical conductivity

Quality & physico-chemical

MoistureAcidity as formic acidFree aciditySpecific gravityTotal ashWater insoluble matter

Heavy & trace metals

Arsenic as AsCadmium as CdLead as PbMercury as HgCopper as CuZinc as Zn

Nutritional & proximate

FatProteinTotal ashTotal reducing sugar

NABL Scope of Accreditation

Honey Testing — parameters & methods

Parameter / Test	Method / Standard
Fat	IS 12758IS 9037IS 12451
Protein	IS 7219FSSAI manual of methods of analysis of foods (Cereal and cereal products) FSSAI 03.017:2023FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Dairy and dairy products) FSSAI 01.026:2022
Acidity as formic acid	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.007:2024
Electrical conductivity	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.014:2024
Fiehe's test	IS 4941
Free acidity	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.008:2024
Fructose : Glucose ratio	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.004:2024
Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)	AOAC 22nd edition 980.23
Moisture	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Fruits & Vegetable Products) 4.1FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Oils and fats), FSSAI 02.001:2021FSSAI manual of methods of analysis of foods (Cereal and cereal products) FSSAI 03.006:2023
Specific gravity at 27°C	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.001:2024
Sucrose	IS 15279IS 4079FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.004:2024
Total ash	IS 13846IS 6287IS 4684
Total reducing sugar	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.004:2024
Water insoluble matter	FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.011:2024IS 7224
Arsenic as As	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003IS 3025 (PART 65)CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/001
Cadmium as Cd	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003IS 3025 (PART 65)CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/005
Copper as Cu	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003IS 3025 (PART 65)CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/005
Copper Hydroxide (Copper determined as elemental Copper)	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/004
Copper Oxychloride (Copper determined as elemental Copper)	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/004
Copper Sulphate (Copper determined as elemental Copper)	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/004
Cuprous Oxide (Copper determined as elemental Copper)	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/004
Lead as Pb	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003IS 3025 (PART 65)CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/001
Mercury as Hg	AOAC 22nd Edition : 2015.01EPA 200.8EPA 29
Nickel as Ni	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003IS 3025 (PART 65)CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/001
Tin as Sn	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/005
Zinc as Zn	CVR/INS/SOP/ICPMS/003IS 3025 (PART 65)

Need a parameter that isn't listed? Share your product and requirement and our technical team will confirm the applicable method, standard and turnaround, and advise whether it falls within our NABL scope. Contact our technical team →

Methods & Standards

How Honey Testing is tested

Reference methods applied

IS 3025 (PART 65)FSSAI Manual of Methods of Analysis of foods (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.004:2024FSSAI (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.007:2024FSSAI (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.014:2024FSSAI (Honey & other beehive products) 04B.008:2024AOAC 22nd edition 980.23IS 4941IS 15279

Where more than one standard applies, the appropriate method is selected for each sample and regulatory requirement. Heavy metals are determined by ICP-MS under validated in-house CVR SOPs within the accredited scope.

Accreditation & Recognition

Accreditations covering Honey Testing

See the Accreditations & Scope page for full certificate details.

NABL

ISO 9001

Samples we accept

Samples we accept for Honey Testing

Rawprocessed & branded honey

How It Works

From enquiry to accredited report

Request a Quote

Share product, parameters and target standard.

Send Sample

Submit in sealed, labelled packaging or arrange pickup.

Login & Prep

Logged in LIMS with unique IDs and prepared.

Accredited Analysis

Validated NABL-scope methods on advanced instruments.

Test Report

Traceable, accredited report with limit comparison.

FAQ

Honey Testing — frequently asked questions

Is Honey Testing NABL-accredited at CVR Labs?

Yes. Honey Testing is performed under CVR Labs' NABL ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation (Cert. NABLT0626TN18226) at our Chennai laboratory, with traceable, audit-ready reports accepted for compliance and submission.

Can you detect sugar syrup added to honey?

We assess authenticity through the sugar profile — fructose:glucose ratio, sucrose and total reducing sugar — together with Fiehe's test and HMF, which flag common syrup adulteration and heat abuse.

What does HMF tell me about honey?

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) indicates overheating or long storage; it is a key quality and freshness measure under FSSAI honey standards.

What do you test honey for?

Our accredited panel covers authenticity and quality markers (sugar profile, HMF, Fiehe's test, electrical conductivity, free acidity, moisture) and a full heavy-metal panel (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and more by ICP-MS). Tell us the importing country's requirement and our team will confirm coverage.

What samples do you accept for Honey Testing?

We routinely handle Raw, processed & branded honey. Share your exact sample type and target standard and our technical team will confirm the required quantity, method and turnaround.

What parameters are included in Honey Testing?

The Honey Testing panel covers 26 accredited parameters such as Fat, Protein, Acidity as formic acid, Electrical conductivity and Fiehe's test. The full searchable list is on this page — tell us your target and we'll map the right sub-panel for your sample.

Ready to test with an accredited laboratory?

NABL ISO/IEC 17025:2017 · ISO 9001 · ISO 45001 · CPCB · BIS — trusted since 1999.

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Frequently requested together

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