This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, and sugar composition of honey samples collected from Bali, Jambi, Sumbawa Island (Indonesia), and Banggi Island (Malaysia) in relation to Codex Alimentarius standards. Moisture content ranged from 17.6 to 25.3 g/100 g, with Jambi and Banggi Island honeys exceeding the Codex limit (≤20 g/100 g). All samples exhibited acidic pH values (3.4–4.2), characteristic of natural honey. Jambi and Sumbawa honeys showed elevated free acidity values of 68.0 and 76.0 meq/kg, respectively, whereas Bali and Sumbawa honeys demonstrated high ash and electrical conductivity values. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) contents remained below the Codex permissible limit in all samples. Sumbawa honey exhibited the highest total phenolic content (22.10 mg GAE/100 g), while Banggi Island honey showed the highest total flavonoid content (16.4 mg QE/100 g). Antioxidant activity ranged from 3.0% to 5.0%, with Jambi honey demonstrating the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity. Sugar composition analysis revealed that Bali, Jambi, and Sumbawa honeys fulfilled Codex requirements for reducing sugars, whereas Banggi Island honey exhibited unusually high sucrose content (40.10 g/100 g). The findings support the potential of Southeast Asian honeys as valuable natural products for nutritional, functional food, and honey authentication applications.
Huyop et al. (Wed,) studied this question.