Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bangalore - 560 056, Karnataka, India.
In the present study physical and chemical properties were analyzed to assess the composition of honey and variations were found in the physical and chemical properties of different honey. Surface tension ranged from 86.5 to 94.5 dynes/cm while pH varied from 4.0 to 4.8 and the water content of honey was 24.2 percent in Apis mellifera, 23.9 percent in Apis dorsata and lowest 20.0 percent in Apis florea. Considering the results obtained from the four different honeybee species, values of hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) were between 3.9 to 6.9 mg/Kg, the reducing sugar content between 62.1 and 82.9 percent, the peroxide accumulation between 04.0and 19.0 μg/g hr at 20°C, the levulose content varied between 36.6 and 39.9 percent and the dextrose between 29.4 and 31.2 percent.
