Brix and Quality Criteria in Carob Molasses
The quality of carob molasses cannot be understood only by looking at its color or consistency. Measurable parameters such as brix (water-soluble dry matter), HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural), total ash, pH and sugar profile provide important information about how the product is produced and how it is stored.
In this article, we discuss what these parameters mean, what regulations and standards are referenced for carob molasses in Turkey, what studies on market samples reveal, and how adulteration can be detected.
Why Should Quality Be Measurable in Carob Molasses?
Carob molasses is a traditional product produced by condensing the extract obtained from the carob fruit. Production stages What is Carob Molasses and How is it Made? We explained it in detail in our article. In this article, we focus on the criteria by which the quality of the product is evaluated after it is revealed.
Molasses is dark in color, intense in consistency and sweet in taste; however, these sensory properties can be similar in both good and problematic products. For example, a molasses that has been extremely heat treated may be darker; a product with added glucose syrup may appear to have reached the expected consistency. Therefore, laboratory analyzes are used as objective indicators of quality in professional production and trade.
The main quality parameters are:
- Brix (water-soluble dry matter)
- HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural)
- Total ash
- pH and acidity
- Sugar profile (sucrose, glucose, fructose) and unique components
- Additive and contaminant controls
What is Brix (Water Soluble Dry Matter)?
Brix refers to the proportion of solids dissolved in a liquid and is usually measured with a refractometer. Since sugars make up the bulk of soluble dry matter in sugar-rich products such as molasses, Brix is practically a key indicator of how concentrated the product is.
Why is Brix value important?
| Consistency | As the Brix rises, the molasses usually becomes thicker. |
| Durability | Highly soluble dry matter contributes to the resistance of the product against microbial spoilage by reducing water activity. |
| Consistency | The Brix difference between batches is an indicator of production control. |
| Suspicion of adulteration | Brix values that are much higher than expected have been associated with the use of added sugar or syrup in some studies (Deliorman Orhan et al., 2025). |
It should also be noted that Brix alone is not a sufficient criterion. A product with added glucose syrup can also achieve the targeted Brix value. Therefore, Brix should be evaluated in conjunction with other parameters.
Different Brix values are reported for carob molasses in the literature. In a study examining eight different types of traditional molasses (including carob) from Turkey, soluble dry matter values ranged from 55.36 to 80.92 percent for all samples (Dilek et al., 2025). This wide range shows how different production methods and concentration level can be.
What Does HMF (Hydroxymethylfurfural) Indicate?
HMF is a compound formed by the breakdown of sugars during heat treatment and storage, especially in an acidic environment. HMF level in molasses; It gives an idea about the condensation temperature and time, storage temperature and duration. For this reason, it is considered an important indicator of heat treatment load and freshness.
Studies show that the production method is decisive on HMF. In a thesis prepared at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, HMF was found in carob molasses produced by different methods; It was found to be 5.35 mg/kg in vacuum boiling, 16.20 mg/kg in microwave vacuum evaporation, 27.54 mg/kg in open pot boiling, and 66.74 mg/kg in homemade samples (Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, 2024). High HMF levels were also observed in syrups prepared in the laboratory from 19 different carob accessories in Lebanon, and researchers recommended the application of more moderate heating regimes during the condensation phase (Toufeili et al., 2022).
A wide distribution is also seen in market samples. In a study examining carob molasses sold in Turkey, HMF was found to be in the range of 0.79–50.25 mg/kg (Yavuz Küçük & Duraklı Velioğlu, 2022). In another study examining grape, mulberry, and carob molasses together, HMF values were measured in the range of 1.95–108.63 mg/kg, and the average HMF was found to be significantly higher in grape molasses (Karakaya et al., 2025).
Ash, pH and Sugar Profile
Total ashreflects the mineral substance content of the product. Since carob is naturally a mineral-rich fruit, a certain ash level is expected in molasses. In the literature, it is stated that the addition of glucose and fructose syrup can reduce ash values (Deliorman Orhan et al., 2025). Therefore, lower than expected ash may be a signal to be considered in terms of adulteration.
pHindicates the acidity of the product. It is reported that storage temperature and duration can lower the pH value (Deliorman Orhan et al., 2025).
Sugar profile It is an important feature that distinguishes carob molasses from other molasses. In 10 carob syrup samples purchased from the market in Turkey, the average sucrose was found to be 385.90 g/kg, glucose 152.44 g/kg and fructose 162.03 g/kg (dry weight). In the same study, the average D-pinitol content was measured as 84.63 g/kg dry weight and it was suggested that D-pinitol may be an indicator in the detection of adulteration in carob syrup (Tetik et al., 2011). In other words, the dominant sugar of carob molasses is sucrose, unlike grape molasses. For more information about D-pinitol What is D-Pinitol in Carob? You can check our article.
Which Regulations and Standards Are Referenced in Turkey?
There is a point that is often confused in this regard: Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Grape Molasses (Communiqué No: 2017/8), as the name suggests, covers only grape molasses (Official Gazette, 30.06.2017, No: 30110). In the annex of the communiqué, water-soluble dry matter is at least 68 percent and HMF is at most 75 mg/kg for liquid grape molasses; for solid grape molasses, water-soluble dry matter is determined as at least 80 percent and HMF is at most 100 mg/kg. The same appendix also includes a maximum limit of 1 percent for sucrose. It is clear that carob molasses, which is rich in sucrose, cannot be evaluated with these criteria; this shows that grape molasses criteria cannot be directly applied to carob molasses.
For carob molasses, the Turkish Standards Institute TS 13717 Carob Molasses standard (2016) is taken as reference. In a study examining market examples based on this standard, the criteria in the standard are described as follows (Deliorman Orhan et al., 2025):
| Parameter | Value specified in TS 13717 (cited in Deliorman Orhan et al., 2025) |
|---|---|
| Water-soluble dry matter (°Brix) | %70–74 |
| HMF | Maximum 15 mg/kg |
| Total ash | %2–3 |
| pH | 5–6 |
For the current and complete text of the standard, the official publication of TSE should be consulted. In addition, the legal binding nature of a Turkish standard may vary depending on its relationship with the relevant legislation; it should be clearly written which criteria will be taken as a basis in commercial contracts.
A recent development on the legislative side is also noteworthy. In its announcement dated March 14, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry stated that carob molasses may contain benzoic acid due to its natural structure. 250 mg/kg The decision determined the limit. If benzoic acid is detected above this value in the analysis, it will be evaluated that this is not due to the natural structure of carob. This decision was taken based on the relevant article of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2025).
Quality Issues Observed in Market Examples
In the study, in which carob molasses purchased from the market in Turkey was examined according to TS 13717 criteria, it was reported that HMF exceeded the 15 mg/kg limit in all samples, the pH values of the samples were between 4.71–5.18, and only two samples met the pH range. Some samples had a Brix value above 74 and an ash value outside the standard range. The researchers largely associated these results with improper storage conditions and production differences, emphasizing the need for stricter quality control in production and storage (Deliorman Orhan et al., 2025).
In a study comparing carob molasses with products sold under the name "carob extract", no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the properties examined; the researchers stated that there is a need for data that will contribute to the regulation of these products (Yavuz Küçük and Duraklı Velioğlu, 2022).
These findings suggest that the consumer and buyer should look at the analysis-verified features of the product rather than the product name on the label.
Determination of Adulteration and Label Compliance
The most commonly discussed type of adulteration in molasses is the reproduction of the product with cheaper sugars, such as glucose syrup. In a study conducted in Turkey, it was shown that the addition of glucose syrup to grape, carob, and mulberry molasses could be distinguished with high accuracy by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric methods (Yaman and Duraklı Velioğlu, 2019). Another study, including 27 carob molasses samples taken from the market, revealed labeling problems in five carob and seven grape molasses with portable FT-IR-based models (Aykas et al., 2023).
Indicators that can be evaluated together in case of suspicion of adulteration are as follows:
- Low ash value with higher than expected Brix
- Sugar profile not specific to carob
- Lower-than-expected D-pinitol level (Tetik et al., 2011)
- Deviations detected by spectroscopic methods
- Benzoic acid exceeding natural level (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2025)
Things to Consider in Production and Storage to Maintain Quality
- Temperature and time should be kept controlled in condensation; operation under vacuum can help limit HMF formation.
- The target Brix range should be defined and measured at each batch.
- The product should be stored in a cool environment away from direct sunlight; storage conditions are effective on HMF and pH.
- Analysis records should be kept on a batch basis and traceability should be ensured.
- For commercial purchases, a certificate of analysis should be requested and, if necessary, verification should be carried out in an independent laboratory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is molasses with a high Brix value of better quality? Not always. Brix indicates the level of concentration; however, values well above the standard range may indicate the use of added sugars. Brix should be evaluated in conjunction with ash, sugar profile, and HMF.
Does the Grape Molasses Communiqué cover carob molasses? The Communiqué only covers grape molasses. TS 13717 standard is taken as reference for carob molasses.
Why is HMF important? HMF is formed by the breakdown of sugars during heat treatment and storage; it provides information about how much the product has been heat treated and how it is stored. For this reason, it is considered one of the main indicators of molasses quality.
Is the presence of benzoic acid in carob molasses adulterated? Carob molasses may naturally contain benzoic acid. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has therefore set a decision limit of 250 mg/kg; results above this value are not considered of natural origin.
Quality-Oriented Carob Products with Carob Türkiye
The quality of carob molasses; It is the result of a process that starts with a good raw material and continues with controlled condensation and correct storage. Measurable parameters such as Brix, HMF, ash and pH are the most concrete data showing how well this process is managed.
At Carob Türkiye, we supply carob fruit, crumbs, flour/powder, seeds, and extracts. For raw materials suitable for molasses and extract production Carob Fruit, Carob Kibble (Granular) and Carob Extract You can review our pages, for your wholesale and export requests. You can contact us.
Domestic resources
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, "Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Grape Molasses (Communiqué No: 2017/8)", Official Gazette, 30.06.2017, Number: 30110 (Annex-1). official newspaper.
gov. en/ The ancients/ 2017/ 06/ 20170630- 24- 1. Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Food and Control, "Decision Limit Determined for Benzoic Acid in Carob Molasses", announcement, 14.03.2025. agriculture.
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