Physico-chemical characteristics of honey produced from northeastern Ethiopia

The research was carried out to determine the physico-chemical quality aspects of honey harvested from northeastern Ethiopia. Twenty four honey samples were collected from four locations and two hive types. R software was used to analyze the data. The average values were 14.47%, 0.28%, 28.22 meq/kg, 4.28, 48.48 mg/kg, 13.75 Goth scale, 2.56%, and 52.43% for moisture, ash, acidity, pH value, hydroxyl-methyl-furfural (HMF), diastase, sucrose, and reducing sugars, respectively. The honey of highlands (17.43%) was higher (P < 0.05) in moisture than lowland (14.48%) implicating highland lower in quality. Highland honey has a higher acidity (P < 0.05) probably due to soil nature. Honey from lowland, midland, and market were higher (P < 0.05) than highland in HMF. Diastase from traditional (16.32 Goth scale) was higher than frame hives (11.19 Goth scale), and sucrose from highland (3.88%) was higher (P < 0.05) than market (1.68%) although both were within the acceptable limits. Generally, the moisture, ash, acidity, diastase, sucrose, and pH contents of the honey were within the limits set for honey quality standards. However, in HMF and reducing sugars, it had not met the European standard. To make the honey exportable to international market, HMF and reducing sugars should be improved to the required level.

Automated summary

The physico-chemical quality aspects of honey from northeastern Ethiopia were studied. Data analysis using R software revealed that the moisture, ash, acidity, diastase, sucrose, and pH contents were within the limits set for honey quality standards. However, the HMF and reducing sugars did not meet the European standard. Improvement is needed to make the honey exportable to the international market.