Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.53.5.15

Quality control of honey from the Croatian market in the period 2019-2021

Damir Pavliček ; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Križevci, Križevci, Croatia
Sanja Furmeg ; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Križevci, Križevci, Croatia
Vesna Jaki Tkalec ; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Križevci, Križevci, Croatia
Marija Denžić Lugomer ; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Križevci, Križevci, Croatia
Tiana Novosel ; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Križevci, Križevci, Croatia

Abstract

In this study, honey samples collected throughout Croatia in the period 2019-2021 were subjected to quality control to assess whether they meet the legally stipulated quality requirements. Analysis of all honey samples included physico-chemical parameters moisture, electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, free acidity, reducing sugars, sucrose and melissopalynology analysis. The obtained results were compared with the criteria of honey composition in two pieces of legislation: Ordinance on honey and the Regulation on the quality of unifloral honey. Pollen analysis performed on 84 honey samples of different botanical origin (floral, acacia, chestnut, lime tree, sage, rapeseed, honeydew), and nine samples were found to be incompliant with the data listed on the label. Among the physico-chemical parameters, hydroxymethylfurfural proved to be the most common cause of sample incompliance, with excessive concentrations (>40 mg/kg) in 13 samples. Although this
indicates excessive heating and improper storage of honey, several samples had hydroxymethylfurfural concentrations in excess of 100 mg/kg, which may indicate honey adulteration. In two honeys, the obtained diastase activity was 6, which is below the prescribed value (of 8). Excessive sucrose content was recorded in one flower honey (6.99 g/100 g) and one rapeseed honey (7.57 g/100 g), while in two samples of chestnut honey and one sage honey electrical conductivity was the reason for non-compliance. All samples met the criteria for moisture content, reducing sugars and free acidity. Most of the collected samples were floral (30) and acacia honeys (30), and accordingly, most non-compliant samples belonged to these two plant species, eight and nine samples respectively. In total, there were 29 non-compliant results which resulted in 22 honey samples (26% of the total) failing to meet the Regulation criteria.

Keywords

honey quality; Croatia; physico-chemical parameters; melissopalynology analysis

Hrčak ID:

272201

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/272201

Publication date:

20.12.2021.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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