Botanical Origin, Physicochemical Composition and Antioxidant Content of Comb, Crushed and Processed Honey Collected from Burie-Ethiopia

Honey quality and authenticity continue to be important factors in honey consumption and marketing. The major concern with honey quality is to keep its natural properties and compositions. This research work is aimed at investigating the botanical origin, physicochemical, antioxidant, rheological, and sensorial quality characteristics of comb, crushed, and processed honey. Accordingly, thirty samples were collected from Burie district of Ethiopia. Based on Melissopalynology, botanical origin was determined. Physicochemical properties were determined based on the standard methods of the International Honey Commission (IHC) and the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Antioxidant properties and diastase activity were determined using UV-visible spectroscopy. All the samples were poly floral honey. Comb honey was found to have moisture (17.98±0.72), sucrose (2.46±0.77), diastase activity (11.78±1.5 DN), total phenol content (TPC) (120.8±47.4 GAE/100gm), total flavonoid content (TFC) (53.7±24 CEQ/100g), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition (30.9±14.9%), IC50 (54±5.72 mg/ml), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging (57±16.06%). It was determined that crushed honey contains moisture (19.43±0.40), sucrose (4.21±0.76), diastase activity (9.28±0.25), TPC (84.3±51.86), TFC (29.4±61), DPPH inhibition (33.45±5.07), inhibitory concentration (IC50) (80±6.25), H2O2 scavenging (52.99±15.9). Analysis of processed honey indicated that moisture (23.76±0.78), sucrose (6.12±0.6), diastase activity (7.76±0.71), TPC (66.7±30.59), TFC (29.47±11.22), DPPH inhibition (33.98±1.84), IC50 (120±8.25), H2O2 scavenging (56.61±4.86). Correlation analysis indicated that moisture associate to sucrose content (r=0.88), diastase activity related to sucrose (r= -0.86), TPC correlates with H2O2 scavenging activity (r=0.82). Honey samples were found to be a Newtonian fluid. The sensory quality of comb honey is preferable. The result revealed that comb honey adequately satisfies the requirements of national and international standards.