Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine physicochemical properties (color, moisture, ash, pH, free acidity, HMF, reducing sugars, sucrose and electrical conductivity) of honey produced in Chena district, Southwestern Ethiopia. Nine (9) honey samples each of 0.5 to 1kg were obtained from Chena district. Moisture and ash content were determined by AOAC method. pH was determined by digital pH meter. HMF and honey color were determined by using spectrophotometer. The free acidity was quantified by titration method. Total reducing sugar and sucrose contents were determined by Lane and Enyon method. There was significant variation (p < 0.05) observed between honey samples. The result revealed that S2 and S6 honey samples contained the highest ash (0.3 ± 0.02 and 0.3 ± 0.04 g/100g, respectively), free acidity (39 ± 1.4 and 41 ± 1.4 meq/kg, respectively) and electrical conductivity (0.68 ± 0.08 and 0.67 ± 0.04 mS/cm, respectively) than other honey samples. The honey samples S7 and S8 had highest moisture content (22.5 ± 1.4 and 21.2 ± 1.7 g/100g, respectively) and honey color (124 ± 0.5 and 123 ± 2.1 mm Pfund scale, respectively) than other honey samples. The honey sample S5 (4 ± 0.2), S6 (4 ± 0.2), and S9 (4.2 ± 0.4) had highest pH value. In addition, the result showed that S9 contained highest HMF content (17.1 ± 2 mg/kg). Furthermore, honey sample S1 (69.7 ± 1 g/100g) and S4 (70.2 ± 1) contained the highest total reducing sugar. Finally, the result showed that honey sample S8 had highest sucrose content (5.17 ± 0.8 g/100g). Results obtained in this study, indicated that tested honey samples produced in Chena district are good for national as well as international market. More research should be conducted on the storage effect of honey to evaluate its safety for human consumption.
Highlights
Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect, transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in honeycombs to ripen and mature [1]
The precise physicochemical properties of natural honeys differ according to the plant species on which the bees forage and climatic conditions and vegetation which are important factors that can affect the various properties of honey [5]
The result was expressed as g apparent sucrose per 100 g honey, following the procedure of Codex Alimentarius Commission Standards [11]
Summary
Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect, transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in honeycombs to ripen and mature [1]. It is a natural food produced by bees from nectar or secretion of flowers. Honey is produced commercial purpose by Dekamo Fiseha Lomiso et al.: Physicochemical Quality of Honey Samples Collected from
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