Physicochemical and sensorial properties of honeys produced at Kurdistan Province

Chemical (moisture content, pH, acidity, reducing and non-reducing sugars, ash, fructose to glucose ratio, electrical conductivity, and Hydroxymethylfurfural content), biochemical (Diastase activity, total phenol contents and antioxidant activity), physical (viscosity and color) and sensory properties (color, odor, taste, texture and overall) of 108 honey samples of Saghez, Sanandaj and Qorveh at Kurdistan province, were evaluated and compared with national standard of Iran. The honey collected from Saghez compared with Sanandaj and Qorveh showed the highest viscosity (93.035 Pa.s), pH (4.15), ash (% 0.107), sucrose content (% 1.86), Fructose/Glucose (1.26), electrical conductivity (0.36 ms/cm), HMF (9.26 mg/kg honey) and L value (32) and the lowest acidity (25.22 meq/kg honey), moisture content (% 13.96), diastase activity (11.3 DN), total phenol content (48.36 mg Gallic acid/100 gram honey), antioxidant activity (% 58.69) and reducing sugars (% 74.9) (p <0.05). The highest reducing sugar (% 79.09), moisture content (% 14.42), acidity (29.35 meq/kg honey), diastase activity (15.26 DN) and the lowest sucrose (% 1.1), viscosity (60.837 Pa.s), pH (3.87), ash (% 0.095), Fructose/Glucose (1.16), electrical conductivity (0.22 ms/cm), HMF (5.63 mg/kg honey), total phenol content (34.22 mg Gallic acid/100 gram honey), antioxidant activity (% 41.23)  and L value (46) were determined in honey from Sanandaj as compared to the others (p <0.05). Moreover, the honey collected from Saghez, Qorveh and Sanandaj received the highest scores in sensory properties from panelist, respectively (p <0.05). Since the physicochemical properties of honey from Kurdistan province in Sanandaj, Saghez and Qurve were in accordance with the national standard of Iran and Codex Standard, so they could be accepted as desired product.