Physico-chemical properties and sensory evaluation of commercial honey / Nor Zuraidah Ibrahim

Determination of physico-chemical properties and sensory evaluation of commercial honeys is very important and the collection of information is to gather all the data mainly on physical and chemical properties of honey. The information will be used as one of the resource for SIRIM to develop a Standard for Malaysia Honey. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the physico-chemical properties and the sensory evaluation of commercial honey. The physico-chemical analysis that has been conducted were pH, water insoluble solid, total soluble solid, free acidity, moisture content, ash content and color. For sensory evaluation, five attributes were tested which was appearance, color, spreadibility, sweetness and overall acceptability. Six types of honey which been used such as Manuka, Clover, Rewarewa, Rata, Kamahi and Flomax. For Rewarewa, it was found that the significantly highest in pH (4.40) but significantly lowest in free acidity (13.33) and total soluble solid (78.73). Then, for Clover, the significantly highest values were found in water insoluble solid (0.99), ash content (0.84) and free acidity (32.67) and total soluble solid (78.87) while the significantly lowest value was found in pH with 3.86. For Rata, the significantly highest value was found in total soluble solid with 79.13 and the significantly lowest values were found in water insoluble solid, moisture content and ash content with 0.20, 28.40 and 0.25,respectively. For Manuka, the significantly highest values were found in moisture content with 33.68 and pH with 4.22. Then, for Kamahi, the significantly lowest values were found in total soluble solid with 78.53, moisture content with 29.04 and ash content with 0.12. Sample Rewarewa showed the significantly lightest color with value 52.39 while sample Kamahi was the significantly darkest color with 17.83. For sample Flomax and Rewarewa, the a value were -0.41 and -1.78, respectively which more to greenness in color. But, sample Clover with a value 3.45 was towards to redness in color. Sample Rewarewa showed the significantly highest in yellowness color with 20.55 while for sample Clover with 7.60 was the lowest in yellowness color. Results of sensory evaluation showed the attributes of appearance, color, spreadibility, sweetness and overall acceptability. For overall acceptability, the significantly highest were found in sample Kamahi with 6.56, Clover with 6.53 and Flomax with 6.02. This was due to lightest in color and the texture of the honey was smoothness that Contributed to easily in spreadibility.