Comparative Study of Rheological Characterization and Classification of Honeys with Their Physicochemical Properties

Abstract

This study explores the application of rheology as a tool for assessing “honey” samples for authenticity and quality. Honey was serially diluted to different percentages of sucrose and each was analysed rheologically at different temperatures to obtain calibration curves for subsequent evaluation of different “honey” samples. Levels of adulterations were determined for honey samples in Nigeria. Pure honey exhibits shear thinning rheological behaviour while the behaviour of sucrose melt tends towards Newtonian. The rheological profiles of samples were determined using RV DV-III Ultra Programmable Rheometer at low shear rate (0.1to 2.45S -1 ). The Power law and Carreau Yasuda models provided good correlations of the data. The Carreau Yasuda model gave a better fit with pure honey while Power law model correlates better with sucrose melt. Proximate and Chromatographic characterizations of honey which provide acceptable measures of honey quality corroborated the conclusions derived from the rheological characterization of this study.