Quality assurance of commercial beeswax: II. Gas chromatography–electron impact ionization mass spectrometry of alcohols and acids

Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection was used to find the fraction of alcohols and acids present in pure beeswax from Apis mellifera. Some new compounds not described till now were found, such as a family of unsaturated linear fatty acids, several hydroxyacids and 1,2,3-propanetriol monoesters. The chromatographic profiles obtained from pure beeswax and bee-rejected foundation beeswax can be used to discriminate them; they mainly differ in the amount of some acids and alcohols.