PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CHESTNUT HONEY (CASTANEA SATIVA MILL.) PRODUCED IN THE POLOG REGION OF THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA
Hrisula KIPRIJANOVSKA, Zehra HAJRULAI-MUSLIU, Miroljub GOLUBOVSKI, Driton DIKENA
Abstract
In this study, we investigated physicochemical properties of chestnut honey produced in the Polog region in Republic of North Macedonia, and compared them to the properties of chestnut honey produced in other European countries, outlined in the descriptive sheet for chestnut honey by Persano Oddo et Piro (2004). The monofloral status of the honey samples was confirmed through melissopalynological analysis by Loveaux et al. (1978). The research included the determination of electrical conductivity, water content, free acidity, fructose, glucose, sucrose, and HMF content, using the methods outlined by the AOAC Official Methods (2005) and the International Honey Commission (IHC, 2009). Based on the obtained values for water, fructose and glucose content, the ratios of F/G and G/W, as well as the sum of F+G, were calculated. The electrical conductivity of the samples ranged from 1.04 to 1.45 mS/cm, the water content ranged from 16.7–17.7 %, the free acidity ranged from 15.5 to 19.5 meq/kg, the HMF content ranged from 2.0 to 5.2 mg/kg, the fructose content ranged from 38.9 to 42.7 %, the glucose content ranged from 25.4 to 30.5 %, the sucrose content ranged from 0.0 to 0.1 %, the sum of fructose + glucose ranged from 66.3 to 70.5 %, the F/G ratio ranged from 1.34 to 1.64 and G/W ratio ranged from 1.43 to 1.74. These findings demonstrate that chestnut honey produced in the Polog region meets the standards established by the European Directive concerning honey (2001/110/CE).
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