Comparing biochemical properties of pure and adulterated honeys produced by feeding honeybees (apis mellifera l.) colonies with different levels of industrial commercial sugars

Abstract

In the present study, 100 pure and adulterated honey samples produced by feeding colonies with different levels (5, 20 and 100 L/colony) of various commercial industrial sugar syrups such as High Fructose Corn Syrup 85 (HFCS-85), High Fructose Corn Syrup 55 (HFCS-55), Glucose Monohydrate Sugar (GMS), Bee Feeding Syrup (BFS) and Sucrose Syrup (SS) were evaluated in terms of sugar ingredients, physicochemical, mineral matter, vitamin and enzyme contents. Proline, electrical conductivity, free acidity, vitamin, mineral and enzyme content of honey were significantly affected by sugar origin and syrup levels. Fructose and glucose content of honey were not reliable criteria for distinguishing adulterated honey obtained by overfeeding honey bees (100 L/colony syrup) with sugar having balanced monosaccharide fraction. For pure blossom honey having EC value below 0.20 mS/cm should be evaluated as indirect adulterated with commercial industrial sugars originating from both C3 and C4 plants. In addition, proline content of pure blossom honey below 300 mg/kg might be an indicator for overfeeding honey bee colonies with HFCS-85 and SS. It is clear that the important biochemical and biological degradation occurred in honey when the colonies overfed with industrial sugars syrup during the main nectar flow. The values of biochemical properties found in the present study are important references to be used for revision of national and international standards.

Keywords

• honey
• commercial sugars
• colony
• feeding
• adulterated
• biochemical properties