A METHOD AND APPARATUS THAT UTILISES FLUORESCENCE TO DETERMINE PLANT OR BOTANICAL ORIGIN CHARACTERISTICS OF HONEY

摘要

Method for determining the botanical origin of honey: (a) estimating the botanical origin of standard honey samples, by: (i) obtaining key chemical concentrations; (ii) assigning the botanical origin as a value on the abundance of chemical compounds characteristic of botanical groups; (b) generating the fluorescence signature of standard honey samples, by: (i) measuring the intensity and wavelength of the fluorescent light emitted from a diluted light-excited honey solution; (ii) combining excitation and emitted light as 2-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM); (c) constructing a predictive mathematical model from standard honey data; (d) generate the fluorescence EEM signature of an unknown honey sample or samples, as outlined in step (b); and (e) using the unknown honey fluorescence EEM data from step (d) with the mathematical model of step (c) to predict and assign value of botanical origin of honey.