Comparative analysis of physicochemical and quality parameters in artisanal and commercial mexican honeys

Abstract

Honey is considered the most famous natural sweetener in the world. Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is the one that produces the honey that people commonly consume in their homes. The adulteration of this natural product has become one of the hardest problems in the market. Honey’s physicochemical properties are influenced by nectar source and storage time which also impact the quality (composition and sensory properties) and the volatile organic compound profiles. In Mexico, the lack of studies and information about artisanal honeys produced in rural areas is an opportunity area to expand its knowledge. Therefore, it is important to validate the physicochemical and quality parameters in artisanal honey produced in different areas of Mexico like Jalpan, located in “La Sierra Gorda” in Queretaro state, to the best of our knowledge this is the first report on artisanal honey quality studies in this locality. In the present research the physicochemical, quality, and volatile organic compound profile was analyzed in both artisanal and commercial honeys from Mexico. The physicochemical analysis done in all 13 samples revealed that all presented an acid pH ranging from (3.6 to 4.77), moisture levels ranged from to (15.77 to 21.80). Color evaluation using the CIEL*a*b* method classified most of the samples as “dark honeys”. The most abundant sugar was fructose, followed by glucose and maltose in all samples as found by HPLC analysis. The antioxidant activity analysis by DPPH and ABTS analysis revealed that darker honey samples had the highest antioxidant activity. SPME coupled to GCMS analysis was performed to evaluate the volatile organic compound profile of all 13 samples. Interestingly, various common biomarkers for honey were conserved among all samples, while some others had a differential expression (hotrienol, linalool oxide, trans-furan linalool oxide, cis-linalool oxide, Lilac aldehydes A, B, C, and D, nonanal and 1,2-epoxylinalool), and other group of compounds that were found have not been reported previously in honey samples which were mostly present in sample H4 indicating adulteration of this sample.