As the carbon isotope ratios of C4 and C3 plants in photosynthetic
cycles are different, a natural honey is expected to have
the characteristic properties of C3 plants since bees collect their
nectar from flowering plants of dicotyledons. The isotope ratio
carried into honey by bees can then be observed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), which has been accepted as an official
method by Association of Official Analytical Chemistry for the
detection of honey adulteration