Hei ! having become interested in HMF I have collected snippits from here and there, three interesting ones being:- From http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/business/honey.htm "Honey labelling regulations" Honey (unless it is described "Baker's Honey" or "Industrial Honey") must *not* have any of the following characteristics:- A foreign taste or odour. Have begun to ferment or effervesce. Have been heated to such an extent that its natural enzymes have been destroyed or made inactive. (i) A diastase level of less than 3 if it is citrus honey or honey with a naturally low enzymes content. (ii) A diastase level of less than 4 if it is any other type of honey. *(NB:both the above are minimum levels)* A hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content of more than 80 milligram per kilogram. From http://www.xs4all.nl/~jtemp/hmf.html In Holland, it is forbidden to sell honey with more than 40 mg/kg HMF. From http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/Liasion/FR_Intent_toStudy.html DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service National Toxicology Program 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural (CAS No. 67-47-0) (HMF) is formed during the thermal decomposition of sugars and carbohydrates. HMF has been identified in a wide variety of heat processed foods including milk, fruit juices, spirits, honey, etc. HMF is also found in cigarettes. *(and in cigarette smoke according to another US gov. source)* The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences nominated HMF based on the potential for widespread exposure in the diet, evidence for carcinogenic potential of other members of this class, and the fact that little is known about HMF toxicity. NTP plans to develop protocols to investigate the metabolism, toxicity and carcinogenicity of HMF. Now my question to everyone out there with chemical knowledge..how can one detect the prescence of HMF and/or measure the quantity present in a sample of for example honey? Are there any simple methods? Cheers Tony Anthony N Morgan, Forsteammanuensis Institutt for Elektroteknikk Hogskolen i Sor-Trondelag N-7005 Trondheim, Norway Tlf. 73 55 96 04 Fax. 73 55 95 81