Physicochemical characterization of honey from Kasr Khiar and Garaboli areas-Libya

Honey is a naturally sweet dark golden liquid produced by honeybees. The physicochemical properties of honey samples collected during raining season(November 2014 to March2015) from Kasr Khiararea were compared with honey samples obtained from Garaboliarea ( West of Libya)with the aim to determining the differences between these samples and comparing the results with the British Pharmacopoeia 2009 and International standards. The results showed that the average value of moisture, pH value, specific conductivity, total dissolved solids, specific gravity, acid equivalent, sucrose content, and maltose content of samples collected from Kasr Khiar area were found to be 18.722 %, 3.77, 587.8 μS / cm, 674 ppm, 1.368, 23.33 m Eq./ kg, 1.38 %, and 9.02 % respectively, while for Garaboli samples the average values, for the above parameters, were found to be 18.11 %, 4.09, 777 μS / cm, 1255 ppm, 1.38, 16.66 m Eq./ kg, 1.68 %, and 8.95 % respectively. Mineral composition studies using Flame photometer technique for Kasr Khiar samples showed that Potassium has the higher value followed by Calcium, Sodium and traces of Lithium, while for Garaboli samples the major elements are in the order Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Lithium. The maltose content of honey samples collected from Kasr Khiar and Garaboli areas were ranged respectively from 6.24 to 10.98 % , and 7.98 to 9.87%, This is a slight higher than the international standard (<7.5%). According to the international standards and the British Pharmacopoeia– 2009 of honeybee, all these samples are agree within the specification of purity and they have high quality and they unspotted from mixed.

Author(s): M. H. Awada and Aborawi M. Elgornazib

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