Improvements in monofloral honey quality control

Abstract

The paper presents the results of determining the activity of the most important honey enzyme, invertase, depending on the impact of main technological factors, as well as identifying the minimum permissible enzyme content in raw and processed honey. The studies were carried out in the laboratory of the Federal Beekeeping Research Center. The invertase activity and diastatic number was determined by a photometric method. The honey samples were examined in five replicates. The enzyme activity was determined after 30 and 90 days of honey storage. Deep freezing of honey at a temperature of -18 °C ensured the best preservation of the invertase activity in monofloral honey that came from an assortment of plants. Pasteurization of natural honey reduced the activity of enzymes of honey that comes from different plants by an average of 71.9%. Mechanical treatment of honey reduced the invertase activity by an average of 54.7%. Based on a comparative analysis of invertase and diastatic number, invertase was found to reflect the degree of honey treatment in the best way. The research findings will result in a set of recommendations to enhance the technology for honey processing and quality control, with a subsequent introduction of this indicator in the state standard for natural honey.