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Subject:
From:
James Fischer <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Thu, 15 May 2003 23:01:46 -0400
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Peter said:

> Jim, you mention that " both sugar and corn plants use
> only "C4" photosynthesis."
>
> Sugar beet is C3

Ooops!  Sugar >>CANE<< plants are "C4".  Yes, potato and
sugar beet are clearly "C3", not "C4".

But detecting beet sugar in honey is easy.  One needs little
more than a swiss army knife, like this one:
http://www.4abnet.com/vicaltimeterknife.gif
or, if you'd like, this one:
http://www.4abnet.com/toolredb.gif

What I'd look for is, in the following order:

a) The ratio of fructose to glucose.  Honey would be > 1.20.  Less would
   be a dead give-away.  (Use the refractometer blade on the knife,
   check the brix scale.)

b) Deuterium isotopes (I'm too tired... go to the libarary, and look it up
   Use the magnifying lens to count the isotopes.  Be patient... keep counting.)

c) Gas chromatograph - beet sugar should peak "way out" towards the 40s.
   You don't even need HPLC/MS for this one.  (The more expensive swiss
   army knives DO include an optional GC/MS attachment, and as you can
   see in the first photo above, even a digital display is provided on the
   knife handle, but you have to plug in your Palm Pilot to see the graphs.)


                jim  (Who is feeling "beet", and needs to go to bed now)

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