Determination of the Physicochemical and Mineral Content of Honey from Arochukwu Town, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Honey is a viscous, sweet, easily digestible and high-energy food that is made from the gathering of nectar, sugary deposits from plants and animals by honey bees (Apis mellifera, Apis cerana indica and Apis mellipodae) and is consumed and enjoyed by people around the world for its nutritional, medicinal and other health benefits. The aims of this study was to determine the concentration of some of the physicochemical and mineral composition of the honey sample from Arochukwu Kingdom, Arochukwu Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. The pH, viscosity, conductivity, Moisture, protein, ash, refractive index, sugars and HMF values were among the physicochemical analysis studied. Antioxidant parameters such as flavonoids, total carotenoids, anthocyanin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and minerals such as potassium, zinc, iron, cadmium, calcium, manganese, copper, chromium and aluminium were also studied. The sample had pH value of 5.9 ± 0.1, viscosity 5.9 ± 0.1, conductivity 32.1 ± 0.15, moisture 26.4 ± 0.01, protein 1.2 ± 0.00, ash 1.2 ± 0.00, refractive index, HMF 1.482 ± 0.000, flavonoid 12.0 ± 0.1, anthocyanin 1.8 ± 0.01 and phenol 72.5 ± 0.05. The sugar analysis revealed that the honey sample contained the appropriate quantity of sugar for acceptable quality honey and fructose being the most abundant sugar with the value 34.36 ± 0.03 followed by glucose 62.75 ± 0.04 and sucrose 2.21 ± 0.01. The summation of (glucose + fructose) which was 30.6 ± 0.5 suggests that the honey met the standard limit. The mineral composition (essential minerals) revealed calcium as the most abundant element with mean value of 24.667 followed by sodium (8.5095), manganese (8.5095), zinc (0.0954), potassium (0.0616), iron (0.4893) and copper (0.0325). In the sample aluminium and chromium were not found. Cadmium the only non-essential mineral found was in very low value 0.0325 ± 0.0001. The result of the evaluated honey sample revealed that the majority of the measured parameters met the Codex International standards for honey indicating that the honey is unadulterated and safe for consumption.