ANALYSIS OF HONEY SAMPLES FROM AVEIRO REGION (PORTUGAL)

Introduction: Honey is a natural food produced by the bee Apis mellifera from the nectar of plants. It has been used for many years for its sweetening power and has gained particular interest in traditional medicine, with its therapeutic benefits being highlighted in recent decades. Its composition varies from region to region, from the north to thesSouth of Portugal, but it is essentially composed of water, sugars, proteins, vitamins, minerals, organic acids, and enzymes. Its composition and physicochemical properties confer various activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties, as well as an energy-providing role. To assess the quality and potential adulteration of honey composition, several qualitative and quantitative tests can be conducted.

Methods: The aim of this study was to perform qualitative tests on different honey samples from the Aveiro region, such as organoleptic characteristic tests, microscopic examination, the Jagerschmidt reaction, Lugol’s reaction, the search for diastase enzymes, the search for dyes, and pH measurement.

Results: Most samples showed a negative result in the Jagerschmidt reaction (96.7%). Regarding Lugol's reaction, all samples obtained a negative result; however, 2 samples presented an anormal coloration. In the search for diastase enzymes, 2 samples showed no alteration, 2 showed a decrease in diastase activity, 3 samples showed high enzymatic activity, and 23 samples tested positive for diastase activity. In the search for dyes, all samples tested negative. Finally, regarding pH values, values ranged from 3.97 to 4.75, with an average value of 4.37.

Conclusion: Overall, 96.7% of the samples did not show any adulteration in the performed tests; however, it would be important to conduct quantitative tests for a more detailed analysis. These preliminary results are indicators of the highquality of honey samples tested.