Physicochemical Analysis of Honey in the Kenyan Retail Market

Abstract

Retail honey has always been subjected to some form of processing during honey production thus its crucial to assess its quality periodically so as to ascertain whether it satisfies the minimum set requirements. This study intended to determine the quality of honey in the Kenyan retail market through physicochemical analysis and comparing them with the set standards by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and International Honey Commission (IHC). Nineteen (19) honey samples both locally produced and imported were obtained from the market; Samples obtained were analyzed following harmonized methods of the International Honey Commission. Even though there was great variation in electrical conductivity, acidity, diastase activity, and HMF Values, results obtained indicated that most of the honey samples met the minimum set requirements. Diastase activity and HMF proved to be the only possible criteria to discriminate between samples which satisfied and those that did not satisfy the minimum set standards.

Keywords: Honey, quality, physicochemical analysis