Abstract
Natural honeys produced in some regions located in Saudi Arabia (KSA) were characterized on the basis of their physicochemical properties and the contents of heavy metals and pesticide residues. Some of the investigated samples fit most of the national and international specifications with geographical and seasonal variations. The levels of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ in most of the tested samples were below the guideline values of 0.1, 0.05, and 5 mg/kg, respectively; however, Zn2+ and Fe3+ levels in most of the tested samples exceeded the guideline values of 5 and 15 mg/kg, respectively. The high levels of Mn2+ and Ni2+ have been found in all the tested samples which can be attributed either to the production stages of honey or the region from where the honey has been taken. Also, the present results revealed that some pesticides such as chlorothalonil, carbaryl, dicofol, and monocrotophos residues were detected in some samples. It can be concluded that some metals and pesticide residues are not in safety baseline levels for human consumption and may pose a health risk to consumers.
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