CHAPTER 13: Assay of B Vitamins and other Water-soluble Vitamins in Honey

Honey is not a food rich in vitamins. Only water-soluble vitamins (B group and C) are ordinarily found in this matrix, at concentration levels usually between tenths and tens of mg/kg. Beyond their negligible nutritional value, the water-soluble vitamins in honey are of interest because they can be good indicators of its origin and freshness. This chapter discusses the analytical procedures adopted in the last 70 years to determine the water-soluble vitamins in honey. Emphasis is placed on the need for an adequate validation protocol to be applied to the whole analytical procedure.