Assessing Honey Quality: A Focus on Some Physicochemical Parameters of Honey from Iasi County (Romania)

Aida Albu, Florin Dumitru Bora (), Simona-Maria Cucu-Man, Vasile Stoleru (), Cătălin-Emilian Nistor, Ioan Bruma and Oana-Raluca Rusu
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Aida Albu: Department of Control, Expertise and Services, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences, 8 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
Florin Dumitru Bora: Viticulture and Oenology Department, Advanced Horticultural Research Institute of Transylvania, Faculty of Horticulture and Business in Rural Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Simona-Maria Cucu-Man: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, 11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania
Vasile Stoleru: Department of Horticulture Technologies, Faculty of Horticulture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Cătălin-Emilian Nistor: Department of Control, Expertise and Services, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences, 8 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
Oana-Raluca Rusu: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences, 8 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700449 Iasi, Romania

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-30

Abstract: The study of honey in Iasi County reveals its ecological, economic and health importance, emphasizing its unique properties, role in biodiversity and value in promoting sustainable beekeeping and regional identity. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of honey from Iasi County, Romania, analyzing 27 samples collected in 2020 and 2021. The samples include tilia (8 raw, 7 commercial), acacia (2 raw, 2 commercial), rapeseed (3 raw), sunflower (3 raw) and lavender (2 raw) honey. Analyses were carried out under Romanian/EU standards, assessing parameters such as color, electrical conductivity, moisture, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity (free, lactone, total), pH, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), ash and mineral composition (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe). The results revealed significant differences between raw and commercial honeys. Notably, in commercial tilia honey, higher values were found for color (38.58 mm Pfund vs. 24.14 mm Pfund), total acidity (25.93 meq·kg −1 vs. 17.36 meq·kg −1 ) and HMF levels (8.84 mg·kg −1 vs. 3.68 mg·kg −1 ). Conversely, water-insoluble solids (0.08% vs. 0.15%) and ash content (0.21% vs. 0.30%) were lower in commercial samples. Potassium was the most abundant mineral detected, while copper and zinc levels were the lowest. Significant correlations were observed between several parameters, including ash with electrical conductivity and HMF with acidity. This study underscores the impact of processing on honey quality and highlights the importance of understanding honey composition for consumers and producers alike.

Keywords: honey; physicochemical parameters; HMF; minerals; raw; commercial; quality (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: 2025
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