Evaluation of the quality of honey commercialized in Western Pará, Brazil

Abstract

Honey is a natural product of high nutritional and therapeutic value. Western of Pará State is a very promising beekeeping region, but the number of dealers who adulterate at least one of the produt's phsioheial harateristis ireases as the eekeeping activity grows. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to assess the quality of 09 samples of Jandaíra (Melipona compressipes manaoensis and Melipona seminigra) honey and 22 samples of Apis mellifera available for sale in west Pará, Brazil. It was observed that only 01 sample of honey from Jandaíra and 11 of Apis mellifera had all the assessed physicochemical parameters in compliance with the Brazilian legislation. With regard to the antioxidant activity against the DPPH radical, most of the samples had maximum inhibition values above 50% and such activity was greater in the darker staining samples. Finally, it was noteworthy that the adulterated honey or the honey outside the standard specifications lost their beneficial properties and shelf life longevity. Thus, its close monitoring in free and local markets is demanding.