Evaluation of Biological Activities and Medicinal Properties of Honey Drops and Honey Lozenges

Abstract

Raw honey naturally possesses a number of health benefits that are imbued by its components, including phenolics acids, flavonoids, enzymes, sugars, and organic acids. Processing of raw honey at high temperatures, often leads to a loss of biological activity and active ingredients, hence, reducing the medicinal benefits of processed honey samples. This study describes that the processing of raw honey into honey-based candies slightly changed the physicochemical properties of raw honey, as was observed by the loss of diastase activity and reduction in hydrogen peroxide content in honey-based candies. However, the overall health benefits of honey-based candies were maintained. The processing of honey into candies (lozenges and drops) maintained antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of honey candies relative to the raw honey samples.

Keywords

• honey candies
• processing
• diastase
• antibacterial
• H₂O₂
• anti-inflammatory