Physicochemical properties of honey produced by the Indonesian stingless bee: Tetragonula laeviceps

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the physicochemical properties of honey produced by the Indonesian stingless bee: Tetragonula laeviceps. Sample of honey was obtained from three meliponiculture origins: Faculty of Animal Science Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Gunungkidul (Yogyakarta) and Klaten (Central Java) and analysed for physical (flavour) and chemical properties including water content, dry matter (DM), ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, and organic matter. The electrical conductivity (EC) was determined by the equation of EC = 0.14 + 1.74 A (A = ash content). Data were statistically analysed using one-way analysis of variance followed by honestly significant difference test. The results showed that the flavour of honey from the Faculty of Animal Science UGM and Klaten were sweet and those from Gunungkidul were bitter. The results showed that the geographical origins had a highly significant effect (P<0.01) on water content, protein, DM and carbohydrate. Furthermore, geographical origins had a significant difference (P<0.05) on ash, organic matter, and EC, but not on fat (P>0.05). There was great variability in the composition of honey across different geographical origins. Thus, the chemical properties of honey from the Faculty of Animal Science UGM and Klaten were higher than honey from Gunungkidul.