Honey Color Portable Photometer – HI96785

The HI96785 portable analyzer is for the determination of honey color. Hanna’s portable photometers feature an advanced optical system; the combination of a special tungsten lamp, a narrow band interference filter, and silicon photodetector ensure accurate photometric readings every time. The exclusive cuvette locking system ensures that the cuvette is inserted into the measurement cell in the same position every time to maintain a consistent path 10 mm path length.

Features at-a-glance

Auto-shut off – Automatic shut off after 10 minutes of non-use when the meter is in measurement mode. Prevents wastage of batteries in the event the meter is accidentally left on.

Battery status indicator – Indicates the amount of battery life left.

Error messages – Messages on display alerting to problems including no cap, high zero, and standard too low.

Cooling lamp indicator – To maintain the desirable wavelength to be used for absorbance, it is necessary to ensure components are not overheated from the heat generated by the tungsten lamp. Each photometer is designed to allow a minimal amount of time for components to cool. The cooling lamp indicator is displayed prior to a reading being taken.

Significance of Use

The primary characteristic for commercial honey classification is color. Color classes are expressed in millimeters (mm) Pfund as compared to an analytical grade glycerol standard reference.

The natural color of honey presents many tonalities: from straw yellow to amber, from dark amber to almost black with a hint of red. The color of untreated honey originates from the botanical varieties used by the bees; for this reason, its coloration allows one to commercially identify the original floral type.

The color of honey tends to darken with age or change according to the method of conservation or production used by beekeepers. These practices can include the use of old beehives, contact with metals, the temperature of conservation, and exposure to light.

The HI96785 uses direct measurement to determine honey coloration ranging from 0 to 150 mm Pfund. This photometer has a tungsten lamp with a narrow band interference filter to isolate the 420 nm and 525 nm wavelength. All samples are measured in a square cuvette having a 10 mm light path and are compared to a glycerol standard. The percent light transmittance readings are directly displayed as mm Pfund. With its advanced optical system, the highly precise meter eliminates subjectivity to provide readings that are accurate and repeatable.

The table below reports the USDA classification for honey samples and the related mm Pfund values.