Abstract
Stable carbon isotope ratio analysis was applied to concentrated extracts of authentic honey-processed pineapple and papaya samples and imported candied samples alleged to have been processed with honey. The 9 imported samples had δ13C values ranging from –11.1 to –15.0%0, while pineapple and papaya samples known to be processed with honey had values of –25.0 and –25.2%0, respectively. The results show that the imported samples were processed with sugar sirups derived from plants using the Hatch-Slack (C4) photosynthetic cycle, such as sugar cane and corn, rather than with honey which is derived from Calvin (C3) floral sources.