Tutin is a toxic compound found in some honey, where bees have had access to the NZ native Tutu plant (Coriara genus). After a number of people were hospitalised after eating honey containing Tutin, the Ministry for Primary Industries brought in food safety regulations requiring honey to be tested for Tutin.
Toxic honey can be produced during the summer if bees collect honeydew secreted by passion vine hopper insects that are feeding on the sap of Tutu plants. MPI have established a maximum residue level (MRL) of 0.7 mg/kg of tutin in honey to protect people eating honey, and testing of honey produced in many areas of NZ is required before honey is able to be sold.
Analytica has developed a sensitive method for testing Tutin in honey, which can be used to test samples individual or as part of a composite. Analytica is approved by MPI to carry out this testing.
Tutin Individual:
Samples are individually prepared and analysed and the Tutin concentration is reported to the detection limit of 0.01 mg/kg.
Tutin Composite (for up to 10 samples)
Individual samples are carefully combined (by the laboratory) into a single composite sample for analysis. The average Tutin concentration of all samples in the composite is reported. This analysis will identify that either all individual samples in the composite will be below the MRL of 0.7 mg/kg, or that at least one of the samples in the composite is likely to have a concentration of Tutin that is above the MRL of 0.7 mg/kg.
It’s important to note that MPI Regulations (Tutin Compliance Guide) state that composite samples must be created by a laboratory. Any composite samples created outside of the laboratory cannot be tested.
This method can be used in all honey types incl. liquid and creamed honey. For information on testing Tutin in Comb Honey, please refer out Technical Note on Tutin Testing.
You can read more about Tutin testing in our News & Resources here: Tutin Testing
How does Analytica conduct the test
Following dilution in water and extraction, the honey sample is analysed for tutin residue using Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Accreditations
Tutin is an IANZ and MPI RLP accredited test.
Pricing and Turnaround Time
Next day TAT of Tutin results.Please contact Analytica for current pricing on 07 974 4740 or at sales@analytica.co.nz