HPLC assay for the determination of ascorbic acid in honey samples

Determination of ascorbic acid in honey samples was performed by high perfo rmance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection at 254 nm. The separa tion was performed using a C-18-ODS column with a mobile phase consisting o f a mixture of 15% methanol and 85% water, adjusted to pH 2.5 with metaphos phoric acid. The mobile phase was pumped at a flow:rate of 0.9 mL/min. The retention time for ascorbic acid was found to be 5.1 minutes. The method is simple, fast, sensitive, and reproducible. The recovery of ascorbic acid i s over 90% by the standard addition method.