Determination of Quality Parameters of Honey from Taraba State – Nigeria

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality parameters of honey samplescollected from different locations in Taraba State, in terms of physicochemical properties such as colour, specific gravity, refractive index, viscosity, moisture content, ash content, free acidity, lactone acidity, total acidity, pH value, electrical conductivity, sugar content, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content, diastase activity and protein content. The results showed that mean values of honey temperature ranges from29.4± 0.49 to 38.5± 0.27°C; colour, light amber to dark amber; specific gravity, 1.30±0.01 to 1.48±0.01; refractive index, 1.47±0.01 to 1.50±0.02; viscosity, 23.2±0.10 to 34.2±0.10 Pas; moisture content, 11.27±0.01 to 19.70±0.01%; ash content, 0.14±0.01 to 0.52±0.04%; free acidity, 14.86±0.03 to 32.74±0.01 meqkg^-1; lactone acidity, 1.58±0.01 to 3.71±0.03meqkg^-1; total acidity, 16.44±0.03 to 35.52±0.01 meqkg^-1;pH value, 3.67±0.02 to 5.10±0.19; electrical conductivity, 0.08±0.01 to 0.48±0.02 mScm^-1; total reducing sugar content, 74.30±0.03 to 82.30±0.04%; sucrose content, 3.58±0.02 to 4.71 ±0.02%; hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content, 10.51±0.04to 14.31±0.02 mgkg^-1; diastase activity, 23.20±0.02 to 26.46±0.02 Go and protein content, 0.74±0.01 to 0.85±0.01%. The quality parameters were subjected to a one way ANOVA at p ≤ 0.05. There were significant differences in the colour, specific gravity, viscosity, moisture content, ash content, free acidity, lactone acidity, total acidity, pH value and electrical conductivity of the honey samples while refractive index, sugar content, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content, diastase activity and protein content showed no significant differences. A 2-tailed F-LSD test at 5% level of significance shows that the differences between the mean values are statistically significant for all the locations for temperature, viscosity, moisture content, free acidity, lactone acidity, total acidity and electrical conductivity of the honey samples while colour, specific gravity and ash content shows that the differences between themean values are statistically significant for most of the sample locations. The honey samples present a good level of quality because the physicochemical values were in the range of approved limits (conforming to codex standards) for all honey samples. It was indicated that honey from the area will be suitable for exportation when processed appropriately.