Safety Assessment of Honeys from Northern and Southern Algerian Regions

Sofiane Derrar, Vincenzo Nava (), Mohamed Amine Ayad, Mohamed Said Saim, Hebib Aggad, Irene Maria Spanò, Federica Litrenta, Michelangelo Leonardi, Ambrogina Albergamo, Vincenzo Lo Turco, Angela Giorgia Potortì and Giuseppa Di Bella
Additional contact information
Sofiane Derrar: Laboratoire d’Hygiène et Pathologie Animale, Institut des Sciences Vétérinaires, Université de Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
Vincenzo Nava: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Mohamed Amine Ayad: Laboratoire d’Hygiène et Pathologie Animale, Institut des Sciences Vétérinaires, Université de Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
Mohamed Said Saim: Laboratoire d’Hygiène et Pathologie Animale, Institut des Sciences Vétérinaires, Université de Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
Hebib Aggad: Laboratoire d’Hygiène et Pathologie Animale, Institut des Sciences Vétérinaires, Université de Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
Irene Maria Spanò: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Federica Litrenta: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Michelangelo Leonardi: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Ambrogina Albergamo: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Vincenzo Lo Turco: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Angela Giorgia Potortì: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy
Giuseppa Di Bella: Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Viale Palatucci, 13, 98168 Messina, Italy

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Although the EU is a major producer of honey, commercial production is often insufficient to meet market demand and, as a result, honey is often imported into the EU from extra-EU countries that lack regulatory standards for food safety and quality. Since honey is a matrix highly susceptible to contamination, monitoring the quality and safety of extra-EU honey is of significant importance to show potential safety gaps. Hence, aim of the study was to monitor the mineral profile of monofloral and multifloral honeys from different regions of North (provinces of Tiaret and Laghouat) and South Algeria (province of Tindouf). In almost all the samples, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb were found at levels exceeding the limits set for honey by the Codex Alimentarius and European Regulation 915/2023. In addition, a PCA analysis pointed out that the analysis of the element profile was useful to discriminate Algerian honeys more on the basis of geographical than botanical origin. The dietary exposure assessment indicates that the investigated honeys can be safely consumed in quantities comparable to those considered in Europe (1.8 g/day) and North Africa (0.3 g/day). Hopefully, data from this study may solicit the Algerian government to set regulatory limits on inorganic elements in honey and align with other international standards, to create a harmonized network able to improve the safety of this food.

Keywords: food safety; honey; inorganic contamination; Algerian provinces; geographical and botanical origin; regulatory limits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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