Evolution of fructose and glucose in honey over one year:: influence of induced granulation

Evolution of fructose and glucose over I year has been evaluated in 30 honey samples front Burgos (N. Spain). The influence of the induced granulation process in this evolution was also determined. Each sample was divided into two aliquots of 500 g and aseptically bottled. One aliquot was directly stored and the second induced to crystallise by seeding with 10% of finely crystallised honey. Analyses of moisture content, pH, fructose and glucose were carried out over I year, once each 4 months. Both, fructose and glucose increased in most samples. Induced-crystallised samples did not show any significant differences in the evolution of the two sugars in comparsion with directly stored samples. Linear correlations were found, for both fructose and glucose, between samples directly stored and honeys in which granulation was induced. These results are clearly different from those reported in previous papers where decrease of monosaccharides below their original values was described. pH of honey might promote reversion of monosaccharides and the formation of disaccharides and trisaccharides. This investigation has demonstrated the possibility of formation of monosaccharides, by the hydrolysis of higher sugars, as a process predominant over the reversion. No statistical relationship was found between pH of honey samples and their fructose and glucose content evolution. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.