Chemical properties of Egyptian fennel honey in Upper Egypt

Abstract EN

This study was conducted during flow season of fennel honey in the year, 2018, to assess some quality properties of the Egyptian fennel honey produced from Upper Egypt.

Forty-two honey samples were obtained from different apiaries located in Assiut and Qena Governorates, Upper Egypt.

Moisture content was 18.395%, with range between 17.0 and 19.5%.The total acidity was 38.61 meq.

/kg.

of honey, with range from 25.5 to 48.0 meq.

/kg.

of honey.

Fructose content was 44.571%, with range between 41.1 and 49.8%.

Glucose content was 31.195%, with range from 24.4 – 33.2%.

Trace amounts of sucrose were detected in most of fennel honey samples with an average of 0.9%.

Maltose content was 1.176%, with range between 0.6 and 1.6%.

Hydroxy methyl furfural (HMF) content was 4.96 mg/ kg.

of honey, with range from 1.92 to 7.68 mg/ kg.

of honey.

The diastase number in the tested fennel honey samples was 54.31 Goth units, with range between 8.5 and 150.0 Goth units.

The invertase content in the examined fennel honey samples was 167.34 unit/kg, with range from 117.6 to 219.3 unit/kg.

of honey.