Evaluating the impact of thermal processing on physicochemical properties of monofloral and multifloral honey

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of thermal processing on the physicochemical properties of 20 honey samples. It was found that sucrose was the most susceptible sugar to degradation during thermal processing, while glucose and fructose contents remained relatively constant. While the moisture content of honey samples varied significantly, it remained below the maximum allowed level for all samples. Thermal treatment did not significantly affect the pH and acidity of honey samples. The study suggests that thermal processing in the range of 40–60 °C does not significantly affect the chemical composition of honey, however, it leads to a reduction in electrical conductivity. The proline content of all kinds of honey samples were depleted upon the thermal processing. The study also found that thermal treatment increased the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content of honey samples, with the intensity of the change varying among samples with different plant origins. Ion mobility spectrometry was also found to be a promising method for the detection and quantification of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in honey.