Antioxidant Vitamins in Honey Samples from Different Floral Origins and Altitudes in Asir Region at the South-Western Part of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Different factors are known to affect the different physiochemical properties of bee's honey including the floral origin and climate. Objective: The aim of this article was to investigate the effect of floral origin and altitude on the concentration of vitamin C and A. Methods: Ten Ziziphus honey samples were collected from two altitudes; 113 and 511 meters. Twenty-five Acacia honey samples were included in this study from five altitudes; 14, 113, 317, 576 and 2247 meters above sea level. Vitamin C was measured by redox titration and vitamin A was estimated using the Carr-price reaction and spectrophotometer. Results: The mean± SD of vitamin C in the Ziziphus and Acacia honey samples were 239.2± 91.5 and 260.4± 81.1 mg\100g, respectively. Vitamin A mean value± SD in the Ziziphus and Acacia honey were 0.088± 0.126 and 0.062± 0.126 mg\ 100g, respectively. Concerning the effect of altitude, there was significant increase in vitamin C concentration in ziziphus honey with the increase of the altitude (p- value= 0.027), while an insignificant decrease was obtained in the case of vitamin A. Regarding the effect of altitude on the concentration of vitamin C in the Acacia honey, there was significant increase in the honey from the altitude of 2247 compared to the honey from all the other altitudes. Vitamin A concentration in the Acacia honey from the altitude 2247 was insignificantly decreased compared to the honey from all the other altitudes (p- value > 0.05). Conclusion: The floral origin insignificantly affected the concentration of vitamin C and A. The altitude significantly affected the concentration of vitamin C irrespective of the floral origin.