Proximate composition and colour profile of honey from Northern and Southern Guinea Savannah Zones of Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluates the proximate composition and colour profile of honey harvested from the Northern and Southern Guinea Savannah zones of Niger State, Nigeria. The samples were gathered from nine Local Government Areas: four from the Northern Guinea Savannah Zone and five from the Southern Guinea Savannah Zone. The analysis included moisture, ash, protein, lipid, fibre, carbohydrate content, and colour composition of the honey samples. The samples showed that there were significant differences (p>0.05) in moisture content, crude protein and carbohydrate content between samples from the Northern and Southern Guinea Savannah zones of Niger State. However, there were no significant differences in the ash and fat content in the honey samples from both Northern and Southern Guinea savannah zones of Niger State. The honey had an amber colour value of 12 - 36.11%, carbohydrate content of 78.32-84.16%, crude protein of 0.16-0.20%, an ash content of 0.56-0.63% and fat content of 0.20-0.21%. The results of the proximate analysis indicated that all examined parameters fell within the codex standard, with the exception of the retailed samples, which had slightly lower carbohydrate contents in both zones. These findings suggested that geographical location within Niger State significantly influences the physicochemical properties of honey, which could impact its quality, marketability, and potential health benefits. Further research is recommended to explore the factors driving these regional differences and their implications for honey production and consumption.