EFFECT OF SEASON ON THE MAJOR PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF HONEY PRODUCT

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the major physic-chemical parameters and to investigate the effects of season on the quality of honey product collected from Dawuro zone, Southern nationalities of people region of Ethiopia.  The contents of physic-chemical parameters within the three honey production seasons ranged as: moisture content, 15-18%; electrical conductivity, 0.27-0.31mS/cm; pH, 4.0 - 4.5; free acidity, 18.7 - 24.7meq/kg; lactone acidity, 5.7 - 8.0meq/kg; HMF content, 16.1- 20.3mg/kg; reducing sugars, 70 - 72g/100g and sucrose content from 2.4 - 2.8g/100g.  This study showed that there were some significant variations for the contents of the different physicochemical parameters between the different honey production districts and seasons.  It was confirmed that the results were below the maximum permissible limit to conform to international standards concerning the good quality of honey.  Although, the honey collected in this area should be consumed as fresh to avoid further contamination.  Moreover, further studies of other quality parameters of honey are needed.