Quality analysis of commercial honeys in Indian market

Investigation of 10 commercial honeys from India was analyzed for quality according to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India (AGMARK). Moisture content, total reducing sugars (TRS), sucrose, fructose-glucose ratio (FGR), acidity, Fiehe’s test, hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) content, total pollen counts (TPC) and absorbance of honey samples were examined. The aim of the present work was to analyze the physical and chemical quality of some Indian honeys and find out whether they meet national standards of honey specifications. It was observed that two honeys were suspicious with respect to their quality as these honeys failed to meet the standards for TRS, sucrose, FGR, HMF and absorbance. Two honeys were genuine and were in accordance with the Indian standards, whereas six honeys showed increased level of HMF due to ageing or increased moisture content or possibly due to adulteration with external additives. The study recommends Indian honey manufacturers to preserve honey quality not only by following the Standards, but by taking care and precautions for mishandling, improper storage conditions and temperature factors which are responsible for the loss of genuineness of honey and poor quality. Also the study suggests consuming commercial honey within 18 months following its packing.