*Adebowale, O.J1., Salaam, H.A1 and
Agboola, O.A2.
1Department of Food Technology, The Federal Polytechnic,
Ilaro, Ogun 2Department of Pure and Applied Biology, LAUTECH,
Ogbomoso, Oyo
Email: jimiolalekan@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Comparative
studies on the physico-chemical composition of natural honey produced by traditional
bee- breeders from the three senatorial districts in Ogun state were
investigated. These districts were: Ogun-East, Ogun-Central and Ogun-West
consisting of nine, six and five local government areas respectively.
Double-stage multistage clustered sampling was used to carry out the studies on
the selected six (6) local government areas that were finally chosen for the
studies. Fresh natural honey samples were collected in sterile pet bottles and
were analyzed for hydroxymethyfurfural, reducing sugar, pH, specific gravity,
refractive index, total solids, titratable acidity, moisture and ash contents, and
sucrose. Values range of 43.4 to 53.1(ppm); 70.2 to 76.4 (%); 2.73 to 3.74;
1.255 to 1.402; 1.446 to 1.448; 73.5 to 77.5(%); 0.62 to 1.63; 22.5 to 26.5 (%);
1.2 to 2.8 (%) and 3.23 to 4.72 (%) for hydroxymethyfurfural, reducing sugar,
pH, specific gravity, refractive index, total soluble solids, titratable
acidity, moisture, ash contents and sucrose respectively were recorded. Results
obtained from the study however, showed that moisture and ash contents do not
conform with the standards (Codex Alimentarius Commission and European Union)
in that, values obtained were higher the those of the standards. Conversely,
data obtained for titratable acidity, refractive index, reducing sugars,
sucrose and to some extent the hydroxymethyfurfural were in agreement with the standards.
Generally, all the honey samples investigated were highly acidic with high
total soluble solids (sugars) and hence, a good-preserve.
Keywords Physico-chemical
composition, natural honey, senatorial district, hydroxymethyfurfural
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