EVALUATING THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF FOREST HONEYNishant GhodeAbstract Honey is a widely consumed functional food which has a valued place in traditional medicine. The purpose of this study was to compare the physicochemical properties of honey which was collected from the forest regions of Bastar division. Physico-chemical parameters include moisture, ash, pH, free acidity, electrical conductivity and sugar content which were determined by following the Food Safety Standard Authority of India and International Honey Commission methods. Each honey is unique on the basis of chemistry, quantity and combination of the various components that attributes towards its quality. The control and characterization of quality are of great importance and interest in apiculture. The present study analyzed the quality parameters of honeys from different tribal farmers and market under Bastar division and compared the results with the quality criteria laid by Food Safety Standard Authority of India and Codex Standard. Processing was noted to have detrimental effect on several quality parameters of honeys; in spite of which it was remarkably within the critical limits. The moisture values of all honey samples analyzed were above 20%. The free acidity was above 0.15% in 17 out of 18 samples (94.44%) collected tribal farmers, while 1 out of 18 collected honey samples (5.56%) showed lower values than 0.15%. In this study, 2 out of 18 honey samples (11.11%) from Bastar forest region had soluble solids content below 80 Brix. In terms of HMF, only 1 out of 18 honey samples (5.55%) exceeded 80 mg/kg, which is the maximum content of HMF set in standards. The values of some physicochemical parameters (free acidity, HMF, and soluble solids) of local and imported honey samples are not within the quality limits set in legislation. Further studies are needed to evaluate the properties of fresh honey produced in Bastar forest region and the stability of honey during prolonged storage. |