Physicochemical and antioxidant characterization of commercially available honey sample from Addis Ababa market, Ethiopia

Abstract

High-quality and genuine honey is crucial to provide consumers with natural honey and prevent any potential health issues. This study aimed to examine the quality of commercial honey available in the Addis Ababa market. A total of 30 honey samples were randomly collected from eight sub-cities of Addis Ababa city. Both High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and UV–Vis spectroscopic methods were used to determine 12 physicochemical and three antioxidant activity parameters in the honey samples according to internationally recognized standards. The findings of this study showed that the hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), free acidity, and ash content of all commercial honey samples conformed to honey standards. However, except for honey samples collected from processors (19.48 ± 0.4 %) and retail outlets (20.49 ± 0.13 %), all other commercial honey samples failed to meet the moisture content criteria (≤21 %). Proline levels in honey samples taken from the street (67.1 ± 0.52 mg/kg) were also found to be below the required standard. The commercial honey samples contained fructose, glucose, sucrose, and maltose within a range of 33.85 ± 0.65 to 48.61 ± 0.51 %, 33.07 ± 1.58 to 44.3 ± 0.82 %, 0.91 ± 0.05 to 6.23 ± 2.49 %, and 0.51 ± 0.14 to 2.4 ± 0.44 %, respectively. Furthermore, honey samples from market areas showed good Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), and antioxidant activity. Overall, the results revealed that all physicochemical parameters, except for proline, moisture, and sucrose content, complied with approved standards (Codex Alimentarius, European Union (EU), and Ethiopia Standard Agency (ESA). Accordingly, it is recommended that stakeholders receive regular training on how to manage honey quality issues and detect adulteration techniques to prevent contaminated honey from reaching the markets.