Indian Journal of Entomology 85(Special Issue) May 2023: 135-138 eRef. No. NWRABNRG27 DoI. No.: 10.55446/IJE.2023.

1176

STUDIES ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF HONEY COLLECTED FROM

DIFFERENT PARTS OF ODISHA
P K Charati, P Behera*, U K Behera, R Mohapatra1 and C R Satapathy1

Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology,

Bhubaneswar 751003, Odisha, India
1
AICRP on Honey bees and Pollinators, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology,
Bhubaneswar 751003, Odisha, India
* Email: [email protected] (corresponding author)

ABSTRACT

The honey samples of Apis cerana indica and Apis mellifera collected from 18 different locations of Odisha
revealed that physical properties viz., moisture content (%), pH, acidity (%), colour (Refractometer
reading-Pfund scale) of the collected apiary honey samples varied from 18.4 to 27, 4.01 to 5.37, 0.19 to
0.68 and 0.217 to 2.00, respectively. Moisture content and colour properties satisfy the standards of ISI
specification of Indian honey under A grade, special grade and standard grade.

Key words: Honey bee, Apis cerana indica, Apis mellifera, physical properties, moisture, acidity, pH, colour,
apiary, honey

Honey bees are the eusocial hymenopterans which Eighteen number of honey samples from Apis
are entirely dependent on nectar and pollen resources cerana indica and Apis mellifera apiary were freshly
for their dietary requirement. They are unique, which collected in sterilized containers with proper labeling
support life on earth through their free pollination and stored with necessary precaution to maintain the
services in nature. Nevertheless, they are important quality of honey throughout the research work. The
as producers of various hive products viz. honey, moisture content in honey samples were determined
wax, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and venom which by measuring the refractive index with the help of an
remains the primary objective of beekeepers practicing Erma make hand refractometer with 58-92% of range
beekeeping. Among the products, honey is a natural and using the appropriate conversion table thereof.
gift having immense value to mankind. Honey bees The refractometer readings of each honey sample were
collect and store surplus honey in the beehive. The recorded at monthly intervals commencing from July to
honey is produced by different species of honey bees November, 2019. Honey samples weighing 10 g were
from the nectar of flowers, nectar glands of plant parts taken in a 100 ml beaker using an analytical balance
and honey dew of sucking insects. These substances and the samples were homogenized in 50 ml of distilled
are collected by honey bees which are processed water. Thereafter, using a pH meter calibrated with
and transformed into ripened and matured honey by appropriate buffers (pH solution of 7.0 and pH solution
combining with specific substances of their own in the of 4.0) for each honey sample, a direct reading is taken
honeycomb (Codex Alimentarius, 2001). These honeys from the device at room temperature. The % acidity
vary widely with respect to its physical and chemical was determined by taking 10 g of honey from each
properties. Though the precise composition of honey sample, were thoroughly dissolved in 100 ml distilled
varies according to the plant species on which the bee water in volumetric flask and titrated against standard
forages, the main constituents are the same in all honeys. sodium hydroxide solution. Then carefully neutralized
On an average, honey is composed of moisture (17.2%), with phenolphthalein solution (till the pink colour of
fructose (38.19%), glucose (31.28%), sucrose (1.31%), indicator persisted for at least 10 seconds). The %
disaccharides calculated as maltose (7.31%), higher acidity was calculated by using the following formula.
sugars (1.5%), free acid as gluconic (0.43%), lactone Acidity % = (Titre X Normality of alkali X Volume
as gluconolactone (0.14%), total acid as gluconic made up X Equivalent weight of acid) X 100
(0.57%), ash (0.16%) and nitrogen (0.041%) (Jeffrey
and Echazarreta, 1996). The evaluation of honey colour was determined
136 Indian Journal of Entomology 85(Special Issue) May 2023 Research Communication

based on absorption of light of various wavelengths, respectively were categorized as special grade based
depending upon the constituents present in the honey on ISI specifications. Honey samples examined with
by visible spectrophotometer at wavelength of 560 moisture content 22.0% from Dhamnagar, Bhadrak
nm and compared to an analytical grade glycerin as a and Mahulpalli, Sundergarh; and 21.5% from Arjunpur,
blank sample. The honey was transferred to the cuvette Bhadrak were categorized as A grade. Whereas, sample
and observation taken from the instrument display and with moisture content more than 22.0% were examined
value was coordinated with the Pfund scale expressed from honey collected from different geographical
in millimeter (mm) to determine the colour according locations were categorized as standard grade. The
to approved colour standards (Devillers et al., 2004). moisture content of honey samples is important as
it contributes to its ability to resist fermentation and
The study revealed that moisture content of the
granulation during storage (Singh and Bath, 1997),
examined honey samples ranging between 18.6 and
which depends on botanical origin of honey, harvest
26% for A. c. indica and 18.4 -27% for A. mellifera are
season, the degree of honey maturity, degree of ripeness,
befittingly within the specified range. Moisture content
processing techniques and storage conditions. Further,
plays an important role in preservation and determining
moisture content was also affected by climate, season,
the shelf stability of honey (Azeredo et al., 2003). High
and moisture content of original plant nectar (Finola et
moisture content renders honey liable to fermentation
al., 2007). The findings of Gulati and Kumari (2005)
in storage by osmotolerant yeasts, spoilage and flavour
were in line with the present investigation of apiary
loss resulting in a significant decrease in quality (Costa
honey with moisture content ranging between 22.8
et al., 1999 and Viuda-Martos et al., 2010). A high
and 25%. The pH values of eighteen honey samples
moisture content of honey can also be an indicator of
were evaluated and the results obtained confirmed
contamination (Nyau et al., 2013). The highest moisture
that, all the examined honey samples were acidic
content with 26% was recorded from Balanga, Puri,
(pH 4.01-5.37) (Fig. 1) and fall within the prescribed
followed by 25% from Odosingha, Narasinghpur and
acidic range of 3.5 -5.50 (Bogdanov et al., 2004), that
Bhagatpur, Bhadrak; 24% from Parlakhemundi; 23.5%
confirms honey samples’ freshness. Among the honeys
from Balliguda, Bhadrak; 23% from Kishanagar,
of A. c. indica the most acidic honey was obtained from
Cuttack; 22.5% Bhubaneswar; 22.0% from Dhamnagar,
Odosingha Narasinghpur follwed by Parlakhemundi
Bhadrak and Mahulpalli, Sundergarh; 21.5% from
Arjunpur, Bhadrak and the least moisture content with (4.07). Whereas, the honeys obtained from A. mellifera
18.6% from Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar (Fig. 1). apiaries examined with the acidity ranged between
4.08 and 4.67 from Janiguda, Koraput being the higest
The honey samples collected from apiary of and Chindri, Koraput the lowest. There is a specific
Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar and AICRP on Cashew, difference between honey samples of A. c. indica and
Bhubaneswar with moisture content of 18.6 and 18.4%, A. mellifera. The Acidity of A. c. indica honey samples

Fig. 1. Physical properties of apiary honey samples collected from different locations of Odisha
 Studies on physical properties of honey collected from different parts of Odisha 137
P K Charati et al.

ranged between 0.19% in Arjunpur, Bhadrak and 0.33% It is concluded from the study that by considering all
in Mahulpalli, Sundergarh honey samples. The Acidity the characters of the honey sample of Apis cerana indica
of honey samples obtained from A. mellifera apiaries collected from the location Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar,
ranged from 0.24% (Nandpur, Koraput) to 0.68% Odisha, satisfy the standards of ISI specification under
(Maliput, Koraput). Lazarevic et al., 2012 reported special grade.
that the pH of apiary honeys ranged from 3.17 to 5.85.
The acidity of honey is due to the presence of organic ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
acids, particularly gluconic acid; and inorganic ions
Authors thank the Principal Investigator, AICRP on
such as phosphate and chloride (Nanda et al., 2003).The
honey bees and Head of the Department, Department of
results revealed that the acidity of apiary honey samples
Entomology for providing facilities and support during
was within the acidity range which correlates with
the research work.
the extended shelf life of the honey and thus prevents
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(Paper presented: February, 2021;

Peer reviewed, revised and accepted: April, 2022; Online Published: May, 2023)
Online published (Preview) in www.entosocindia.org and indianentomology.org (eRef. No. NWRABNRG27)