Physico-chemical properties and estimation of mineral content in honey produced from different plants in Northern India

The aim was to study the affect of floral origin on the physico-chemical characteristics and the content of potassium, sodium, zinc, iron, calcium and copper in honey from six different sources viz., Trifolium alexandrinum L. (berseem clover), Brassica campestris (mustard), Helianthus annuus (sun flower), Eucalyptus lanceolatus, Citrus flower, Multi-flower and in one commercial sample. Physico-chemical constituents were examined according to AOAC methods (in: K. Helrich (Ed.), Official Method of Analysis, 15th Edition, Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Inc., Arlington, VA, USA, 1990) and minerals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Among the sources of honey significant differences in the amount of mineral substances, moisture content, and total acidity were found (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in specific gravity due to source (P<0.01). The levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc varied from 163.3-304.31, 489.52-932.56, 32.6-84.63, 8.86-13.25, 1.74-2.9, 2.5-16.77 mg/kg, respectively. Trifolium honey showed the highest moisture content and lowest specific gravity however total acidity and free acid were highest in citrus honey. Optical rotation was levorotatory in all honey types. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.