The Effects of Bee Additives on the Physico-Chemical and Antioxidant Properties of Rapeseed Honey

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to conduct a comparative analysis of rapeseed honeys enriched with various bee products: propolis (1%), bee bread (2%), and bee pollen (5%). The parameters examined included water content, electrical conductivity, pH, free acid content, brown pigment content, color analysis, total polyphenol content, sugar content, and antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. The results demonstrated compliance with Polish requirements for commercial honey quality, with one exception: honey containing 1% propolis, which had a water content of 21.15%. The analysis results indicated that the tested bee products exhibited strong antioxidant properties, with rapeseed honey enriched with 5% bee pollen showing the highest antioxidant activity and content.

Keywords

• rapeseed honeys
• propolis
• bee bread
• bee pollen
• antioxidants