Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.24141/1/3/1/13
The Quality Floral Honey for the Needs of the Croatian Armed Forces
Nino Pinter
; Reception and Quality Control Service of Material Resources Directorate, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Željka Cvrtila
; Department of Hygiene, Technology and Food Safety, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Lidija Kozačinski
; Department of Hygiene, Technology and Food Safety, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Bela Njari
; Department of Hygiene, Technology and Food Safety, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In the quality supervision for the needs of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF) a total of 41 samples were taken for physical, chemical and bacteriological tests and analyzed for the presence of pesticides and heavy metals. Physical and chemical testing of 12 samples found that the amount of water averaged 16.52 ± 0.85 % (n = 8), hydroxymethylfurfural 11.41 ± 8.26 mg/kg (n = 12), total acidity was 16.78 ± 2.30 mmol/kg (n = 8), and diastase activity was 18.46 ± 4.84 DN (n = 8). The share of sucrose averaged 2.47 ± 2.05% (n = 12), and of directly reducing sugars 70.79 ± 2.05% (n = 7). The results of physical and chemical tests were not statistically significant and followed the normal distribution. There was a correlation between the proportion of the water content and sucrose (r = 0.99, p = 0.014), and the content of reducing sugar and iron (r = -0.98, p = 0.024). There was a correlation between water content and cadmium (r = 0.93, p = 0.072), diastase activity and iron (r = -0.94, p = 0.056) and diastase activity and copper (r = -0.92, p = 0.079) and the amount of reducing sugars and copper (r =-0.94, p = 0.065). Bacterial tests did not find an increase of the number of microorganisms in flower honey. Of the 10 samples, the amount of pesticides was in line with the maximum residue levels of pesticides in food. The analysis of heavy metals found the mean amounts of lead was 0.04 ± 0.016 mg/kg (n = 9), cadmium 0.0058 ± 0.0042 mg/kg (n = 9), copper 0.126 ± 0,179 mg/kg (n = 8), zinc 2.75 ± 2.61 mg/kg (n = 8) and iron was 3.11 ± 3.27 mg/kg (n = 8). Lilliefors test showed a statistical significance of lead (p < 0.01) and cadmium and copper (p < 0.05). There was a correlation between the amount of iron and copper (r = 0.97, p = 0.030) and between the amount of zinc and lead (r = 0.95, p = 0.055). The results indicate a good quality and health safety of floral honey in accordance with regulations of the Republic of Croatia and European Union.
Keywords
honey; quality; Croatian Army Forces (CAF)
Hrčak ID:
183324
URI
Publication date:
26.6.2017.
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