Color measurement of rosemary honey in the solid state by reflectance spectroscopy with black background

A colorimetric method was developed to measure the color of rosemary honeys in the solid state, without liquefaction. The color of 20 solid samples of rosemary honeys was measured by reflectance spectroscopy with white and bl ack background in cells of 1 cm pathlength. The Kulbelka-Munk theory of tur bid media was applied to calculate the spectral distribution of reflectivit y, internal transmittance, and coefficients of absorbance and scattering of light. From these spectral distributions, 2 different types of honey were found. The honey colors measured from reflectivity and internal transmittan ce are well grouped. The colors obtained from reflectivity and those obtain ed from reflectance with black background show high linear correlation (r(2 ) > 0.99). AS a practical application, measurements of reflectance with bla ck background in cells of 1 cm pathlength can be used to determine the colo r of these honeys in the solid state.