Evaluation of the physicochemical and thermal properties of honey samples from different floral locations in Enugu North senatorial zone, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the physicochemical and thermal properties of natural honey collected from different floral locations in Enugu North senatorial zone. The physicochemical and thermal parameters like moisture content, pH, sucrose, glucose, fructose, acidity, density, thermal conductivity, thermal heat diffusivity, specific heat capacity, viscosity, ash content, colour and electrical conductivity were analyzed. The results obtained show that the pH values of the samples ranged from 4.7 5.7. The maximum and minimum moisture content were 22.5 and 16.59% (wb) respectively, with sample from Igbo-Etiti having the lowest moisture content. The density value ranged from 820-1250 kg m-3, with honey samples from Igboeze- South recording the highest density. It was also observed that the sucrose content of the samples ranged from 1.037-1.78g/100g which is considered good and within international acceptable value for honey. Electrical conductivity values for Igboeze-North, Udenu, Igboeze-South, Igbo-Etiti and Nsukka were 16.5, 6.0, 25.4, 3.5 and 11.4μS/cmrespectively, Fructose values were 34.339, 33.484, 34.515, 39.434 and 33.136 g/100g respectively and glucose contents were 31.361, 30.856, 31.639, 35.224 and 30.621 g/100g respectively It was also observed that honey from Igbo-Etiti is more viscous than all the samples. The honey samples from the different floral locations in Enugu North Senatorial zone were acidic. The colour of the sample is classified as Amber for sample from Igboeze-North, Igboeze-South and Igbo-Etiti, while that of Udenu is Light Amber and that of Nsukka is Extra White. The thermal properties fell within international acceptable range of values. Thermal heat conductivity ranged from 0.4358-0.4490 Wm-1K-1, specific heat capacity was from 1.3024-1.6355 kJkg-1K-1,and thermal heat diffusivity ranged from 2.4252× 10 - 3.8313× 10 m2s-1. Honey is a promising source of food, raw material and essential minerals. Knowledge of its physicochemical and thermal properties is inevitable in other to facilitate its postharvest processing.