Glucose is the second principal simple sugar in honey, and because it is less soluble than fructose it governs crystallisation rate, making it a critical parameter in both quality analysis and buyer specifications.
In trade practice
Sugar profile analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography separates and quantifies glucose alongside fructose, sucrose and other sugars. Honeys with a high glucose-to-water ratio, such as rapeseed, crystallise rapidly, which affects packaging format choices and shelf-life planning. Quality teams check that the combined fructose-plus-glucose value meets the minimum required under the EU Honey Directive. A common mistake is submitting a certificate that reports only total sugars, which does not satisfy buyers who require individual values.
In a specification
Specifications state a minimum glucose content in grams per 100 g and require the result to be reported separately from fructose in the accompanying laboratory certificate.