Evaluation of Some Chemical Quality Characteristics of Honey Produced in Iran

Background: Iran could be considered as one of the most important producers of honey all over the world. This investigation was conducted to evaluate some chemical quality characteristics of honey produced in Iran. Methods: Totally, natural (n=80) and commercial (n=20) honey samples were randomly collected from North-West and South-West regions of Iran. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) levels, phenolic contents, antiradical activity, and antioxidative potency of the samples were analyzed. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: The HMF level in 4 out of 80 (5%) natural honey samples and 14 out of 20 (70%) of commercial honey samples was higher than the recommended safety limit set by the Iran national standard. The average phenolic content was significantly (p<0.05) lower for commercial honeys (20.51 mg of Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE)/100 g of honey) than for natural honeys (55.37 mg of GAE/100 g of honey). The mean IC50 of natural honey samples was 40.63 mg/ml with a range of 14.2-84.1 mg/ml; however, the mean IC50 of commercial honey samples was 341.96 mg/ml, with a range of 115-997.4 mg/ml. The difference between mean values of β-carotene bleaching inhibition of natural honey (54.54 mg/ml) and commercial ones (25.37 mg/ml) was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant (p<0.05) difference between chemical quality characteristics of honeys between two geographical regions. Conclusion: In conclusion, HMF levels, phenolic contents, antiradical activity, and antioxidative potency of Iranian natural honeys were remarkably more acceptable and suitable than commercial honeys produced in the country.