Indicators of the quality of honey of various botanical origin with admixtures of ho­neydew

Abstract

Goal. To study the organoleptic and physico-chemical properties of honey of various botanical origin of the 2024 harvest, and establish the dependence of quality indicators of its main species on the amount of honeydew. Methods. Organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics of honey were determined by many indicators, such as color, taste, aroma, consistency, moisture content, diastase activity, electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfurol (HMF) content, proline content, as well as by qualitative reaction to the presence of honeydew (DSTU 4497:2005). Melisopalinological analysis was performed using PalDat electronic pollen databases. Results. According to the indicator of a qualitative reaction to the presence of honeydew, it was established that 32 samples of honey contained milky white suspension (this was an indicator of the presence of honeydew). The consistency of flower honey with honeydew impurities varied from liquid to dense, the color changed from dark yellow to dark with different shades; the taste was specific, the humidity of the studied samples of honeydew honey was 15.7–21.0%, and flower honey — 15.8–20.0%. The highest average value of enzymatic activity, 40.5 ± 0.6 Gote units, had honeydew honey from buckwheat, and the smallest, 24.3 ± ± 6.4 Gote units. — May with admixtures of honeydew. Proline content was highest in flower honey from buckwheat — an average of 326.4 ± ± 7.5 mg/kg, as well as in May with honeydew impurities — an average of 443.9 ± 14.4 mg/kg. As for electrical conductivity, its highest average value, 0.83 ± 0.26 mS/cm, was in May honey with honeydew impurities, and the lowest, 0.218 ± 0.06 mS/cm, was in May flower honey. Conclusions. It was established that according to their organoleptic characteristics, samples of flower honey with admixtures of honeydew differed from natural flower honey primarily in dark color and a specific slightly bitter taste. It was proved that the absolute values of all indicators of flower honey were higher than those of honey with honeydew impurities.