Analysis of 87 honey samples for terminal galactose residues in the oligosaccharide fraction (‘bound galactose') by a specific enzymic procedure showed that all samples contained this entity. The average value for 81 honeys was 3.1 mg (as galactose) per 100 g honey. Beet sugar products averaged ten-fold higher. Raffinose is the only commonly-occurring sugar responding to the conditions of the analysis. Whether the raffinose is a nectar constituent or arises from traces of honeydew is not clear; it is possible that both contribute.
