College of Natural and Computational Sciences

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    Assessment of the physicochemical characteristics of honey collected from Dalocha Woreda, SNNP, Ethiopia
    (Mekelle University, 2025-01-25) Getachew Asfaw Melka
    Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by honeybees from the nectar of blossoms or from the secretion of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects from the living parts of plants. The present study aimed to assess the physicochemical characteristics of honey collected from Dalocha Woreda, SNNP, Ethiopia. The honey samples collected from different Kebele’s of Dalocha woreda were of different colors (red and white honey). The collected samples were analyzed for their pH, free acidity, color, electrical conductivity, moisture content, ash content, specific gravity, water-insoluble solid, reducing sugar, sucrose content, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and some selected metal contents of Zn, Mn, Fe, Ni, Pb, Cr, and Cd. The result of physicochemical analysis showed pH in the ranges of 3.98-4.6, free acidity in the ranges of 16-27 meq/kg, color in the ranges of 66.67-128.67 mmpfund, electrical conductivity in the ranges of 0.29-0.79 mS/cm, moisture contents in the ranges of 17.3-18%, ash contents in the ranges of 0.25-0.41 g/100 g, specific gravity in the ranges of 1.35-1.412, water insoluble solid in the ranges of 0.27-0.6 g/100g, reducing sugars in the ranges of 66.58-77.04 g/100 g, sucrose in the ranges of 2.134-4.29 g/100g, and HMF contents in the ranges of 0.455 4.67 mg/kg. Almost all samples of honey examined were within the acceptable range of Ethiopian standards (ES) and World Health Organization (WHO) standards, except for water insoluble material which was poor mainly due to a lack of appropriate handling during harvesting and storage of the product. However, it was observed that there was a significant difference among these tested parameters for these honey samples. The metal content of the honey samples was also found (in mg/L) Zn in the ranges of 2.07-9.69, Pb in the ranges of ND 0.1, Mn in the ranges of 1.9-6.83, Cr in the ranges of 0.35-0.6, Fe in the ranges of 42.28-61.41, Ni below detection limit (BDL) and Cd BDL. The highest concentration was observed for Fe and the lowest concentrations were observed in Pb, Ni, and Cd. Most trace metals are within the acceptable range set by national and international standards except Pb and Cd contents in some samples that need further study.