Quality Control of Different Types of Honey and Propolis Collected from Romanian Accredited Beekeepers and Consumer’s Risk Assessment

Magdalena Mititelu,Mirela Nedelescu,Sorinel Neacsu,Eliza Oprea,Anca Nicoara,Manuela Ghica,Denisa Udeanu

doi:10.3390/cryst12010087

Magdalena Mititelu, Mirela Nedelescu + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12010087

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Abstract

Honey is a natural product recognized and appreciated for its nutritional value and therapeutic potential. However, the quality of bee honey is essential because various contaminants can seriously affect consumers’ health. In the experimental part of the work, we analyzed different types of honey (linden, black locust, rapeseed and multifloral honey) and propolis, which were collected from Romanian accredited beekeepers who placed beehives in two areas characterized by different industrial activity: area 1 (A1) is an area with intense industrial activity, with other industries existing nearby, including a refinery, while area 2 (A2) is entirely devoid of industrial activity, but with moderate agricultural activity. A total of 144 samples were collected, twelve samples for each variety of honey, propolis and soil, corresponding to each area analyzed. In addition, seven heavy metals and three pesticides were tested for in the samples collected. Finally, the correlation between the degree of contamination with soil pollutants and the contamination of the bee products harvested from the analyzed areas was studied. Cadmium, lead, copper, zinc and the sum of DDT metabolites exceeded the maximum allowable levels in honey samples, with differences between different types of honey.

Highlights

One hundred and forty-four samples were collected from different types of honey, propolis and soil from Romanian accredited beekeepers during summer 2021 from two areas with different degrees of pollution: area area 1 (A1), an area with intense industrial activity being located near a refinery and area area 2 (A2), an area without industrial activity and with a moderate agricultural activity
The soil samples investigated for the content of heavy metals were within normal limits according to Romanian legislation [54], except for the presence of lead in the soil samples collected from the A1 area, which had concentrations between 51.81 and 52.17 mg/kg
The propolis samples had the highest content of heavy metals in the A1 area, with the levels as follows: 0.080 ± 0.006 mg/kg Cd, 3.203 ± 0.052 mg/kg Cu, 4.195 ± 0.067 mg/kg

Summary

Introduction

Honey is the sweet product produced from the nectar of flowers, the secretions of plants, or what is present on plant surfaces by honeybees. After collecting the raw materials, bees process it, enrich it with their own substances and in the end store it in the honeycomb cells. Depending on the raw material used by bees to produce honey, there are two major types of honey: floral and honeydew [1,2]. Both types have a complex chemical composition which sustains their use in therapeutics

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