Authenticity testing of agave syrup
By Eric Jamin, Eurofins Analytics France and Lars Reimann, Eurofins USA
Apart from its use as a raw material when producing the famous Mexican drink tequila, agave syrup is an emerging sugar source, both as a final product and as an ingredient in various foods. This is due to its pleasant taste and very high fructose content, leading to a low glycemic index (a potential health benefit versus other sugar sources). However as for any trendy and high value product, the incentive for fraud is high and authenticity should be verified.
Some specifications for agave syrup are given by the Mexican government (Ref: NORMA NMX-FF-110-SCFI-2008). Agave varieties used for syrup production are limited to Blue Agave and Salmiana. Basic composition parameters are defined, such as sugar levels, ash, pH, and HMF (a sugar breakdown product). However, fake agave sugar meeting these specifications can be produced using chemically manipulated sugars from cheaper plant sources. Recent studies have confirmed frequent occurrences of adulteration.
Therefore advanced methods should also be used for an in depth authenticity evaluation. The first is the chromatographic profile of some oligosaccharides, which can detect marker peaks from various sugar syrups in agave (as it does in fruit juices). The second is Carbon 13 SNIF-NMR1, which upon its initial publication in 2010 represented a significant improvement in the state-of-the-art of authenticity testing by allowing the first ever discrimination between sugars from CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) plants like agave and C4 plants such as cane and maize.
These complementary analyses are now included in Eurofins portfolio as efficient tools to monitor the authenticity of agave syrups.
Contact: ASMNantesAuthenticity@eurofins.com
1 Improved Characterization of the Botanical Origin of Sugar by Carbon-13 SNIF-NMR Applied to Ethanol. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2010, 58, 11580-11585.
