Editing Honey (section)

=== Electrical and optical properties ===
Because honey contains [[electrolyte]]s, in the form of acids and minerals, it exhibits varying degrees of [[electrical conductivity]]. Measurements of the electrical conductivity are used to determine the quality of honey in terms of [[Ash (analytical chemistry)|ash]] content.<ref name="bee-hexagon.net" />

The effect honey has on light is useful for determining the type and quality. Variations in its water content alter its [[refractive index]]. Water content can easily be measured with a [[refractometer]]. Typically, the refractive index for honey ranges from 1.504 at 13% water content to 1.474 at 25%. Honey also has an effect on [[polarized light]], in that it rotates the polarization plane. The fructose gives a negative rotation, while the glucose gives a positive one. The overall rotation can be used to measure the ratio of the mixture.<ref name="bee-hexagon.net" /><ref name="Bee Culture' Page 348">[[#Root|Root]], p. 348</ref> Honey is generally pale yellow and dark brown in color,{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} but other colors can occur, depending on the sugar source.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9587260/Bees-producing-MandMs-coloured-honey.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9587260/Bees-producing-MandMs-coloured-honey.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Bees 'producing M&M's coloured honey' |date=4 October 2012 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=30 December 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Bee colonies that forage on [[Kudzu]] ([[Pueraria montana var. lobata|''Pueraria montana'' var. ''lobata'']]) flowers, for example, produce honey that varies in color from red to purple.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rusty |date=17 September 2012 |title=Kudzu: the dark secret of purple honey? |url=https://www.honeybeesuite.com/purple-honey/ |access-date=30 May 2021 |website=Honey Bee Suite |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213638/https://www.honeybeesuite.com/purple-honey/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=November 2023}}