Impact of Pasteurization Process on Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) Amount and Diastase Activity of Honey

Turkish Food Codex describes honey as a natural product that honeybee gathers plants’ nectar, secretion of plants’ living parts or secretion of plant-sucking insects which live on plants’ living parts and then, makes change on them by putting them to distinctive substances, decreases content of water and ripens it by storing in honeycomb and which can crystalize by its nature, in The Notification of Honey (Notification No.: 2020/7). Four processes generally as filtration, homogenization, pasteurization and resting on air come into prominence in an integrated honey processing and packing facility. Filtration is made in order to remove factors which trigger the crystallization of honey as the foreign matters arising from honey harvest in honey and undesirable matters at invisible micron level are detracted. Honey’s chemical and physical features differ in season, vegetation cover and climate. Honey is homogenized in a homogenization tank in order that it can be standardized to represent the party. Furthermore, pasteurization process is made in order that development of osmophilic ferments resistant to sugar can be prevented, and honey’s viscosity and crystallization are decreased. Remnants of melted wax can be in honey with the impact of temperature despite that honey is filtered, and air bubble can occur due to the circulation in this process. Therefore, honey is taken into the tank of resting on air after it is processed. In this research; the impact of pasteurization process on hydroxymethylfurfural amount and diastase activity of six-party honey sample was examined. Approximate HMF values of samples which were received from homogenization and pasteurization units were respectively determined as 5,70±0,72 mg/kg and 6,76±0,69 mg/kg, and the difference between them was found significant statistically (p=0,014). Approximate diastase numbers of samples which were received from homogenization and pasteurization units were respectively determined as 12,82±1,32 and 11,42±1,38, and the difference between them was not found significant statistically (p=0,068). After the pasteurization process, it was determined that honey’s HMF (40 mg/kg at most) and diastase numbers (8 at least) are in the limits which are stated on Notification of Honey by Turkish Food Codex.