Evaluation of hydroxymethylfurfural content in commercial and artisanal bee honey from Los Ríos-Babahoyo

Abstract

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a compound that is produced after heat treatment of honey; that is, they are not present in the initial raw materials and can present a potential health hazard; they are known as chemical processing contaminants. This compound is an indicator parameter of the quality of honey produced spontaneously. Its concentration increases with time and other factors, such as improper heat treatment during processing, storage temperature and mode of transportation. The objective of this research is focused on evaluating the content of HMF present in 6 types of bee honey, 3 commercial brands and three artisanal brands; the honey was from eucalyptus and citrus flowering, and the place where the honey was acquired is in the Province of Los Ríos, since being a geographical area with abundant flora, the primary pollinators are bees (Apis Mellifera). In addition, the honey was heated at different temperatures and time intervals to evaluate whether Hydroxymethylfurfural increases when heat is added to the honey. The present work was carried out at the Technical University of Babahoyo; the commercial and artisanal bee honey were acquired between 1 and 5 days before the assay. For HMF analysis, a UV spectrophotometer was used, as specified in INEN 1637 standards, to determine the absorbance of the standard sample at 284 and 336 nm. The HMF values obtained for the three commercial brand honey and the artisanal brand honey are within limits allowed by INEN 1572 Technical Standard, which is 4_mg HMF/100_g of honey (40 mg HMF/kg of honey) as a maximum limit. The mean values ranged from 0.08 to 1.77 mg HMF-/g honey, while the honey subjected to heating had mean values ranging from 0.08 to 4.43 mg HMF/100_g honey. A high HMF content was determined, which exceeded the maximum limit, leading to the conclusion that commercial and artisanal honey does contain Hydroxymethylfurfural. Still, in small quantities, it is important to use good handling and preservation methods to prolong the product's shelf life.