Quality evaluation of Portuguese honey

Mendes, E.; Brojo Proenca, E.; Ferreira, I.M.P.L.V.O.; Ferreira, M.A.

Quality evaluation of Portuguese honey

1998

Mendes, E. | Brojo Proenca, E. | Ferreira, I.M.P.L.V.O. | Ferreira, M.A.

The present work was conducted to evaluate the quality of 25 brands of honey commercially available on the Portuguese market, in a total of 50 samples. The brands included unifloral and multifloral honeys, which were studied and botanically typified. Carbohydrate composition was determined by HPLC-RI to evaluate the contents of monosaccharides fructose and glucose; the disaccharides saccharose, maltose and trehalose and of the trisaccharide melizitose. 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde (HMF) was quantified by HPLC-UV and other physicochemical quality parameters were also carried out according to the European (Directive 74/409/EC) and Portuguese Regulations (Decreto-lei No. 131/85, 1985) in order to determine moisture, ash content, diastase activity, free acidity, free acidity and water-insoluble solids. All samples were organoleptically and microscopically examined. Only 13 brands were found to meet all major national and international specifications, the remaining 12 did not agree with one or more of the analysed parameters (HMF, diastase activity, or carbohydrate composition); such observations may reflect an inadequate manufacturing or storing process and a certain ageing of these honeys.

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