BEE HONEY: HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS, PROPERTIES, BENEFITS AND ADULTERATION IN THE BEEKEEPING SECTOR

This review aims to share the history of bees and the use of honey as the only natural sweetener available to mankind for more than 40,000 years. At the same time, the characteristic of the beekeeping sector is presented, highlighting the top honey producers worldwide. The botanical origin of honey is the basis for the characterization of the 14 types of honey presented. Honey standards were analyzed to provide an overview of quality and physico-chemical indices. The data indicated in the national and regional honey standard are identical to the data for the international Codex Alimentarius standard. After the comparative analysis of these 3 sources, no significant deviations were identified. The tendencies of using honey from ancient times as a nutritious food product, as a preservative, as a medicine for treating various diseases and for performing certain rituals, etc. were highlighted. At the same time, the population must be encouraged to consume this incomparable bee product.

Comparative Study of the Nutritional Compositions of Pure and Adulterated Honey Samples Collected from Kano South Senatorial District of Kano State, Nigeria

Honey, the sweet, nutritious substance produced by honeybees, is of good nutritional and medicinal importance to consumers. The present study aimed at comparing the nutritional compositions of pure and adulterated honey samples collected directly from the honey beekeepers from Kano South Senatorial District of Kano State, Nigeria. For this purpose, a total of three samples each were randomly collected from three randomly selected local governments of the Senatorial District and analyzed for some nutritional values. Similarly, an adulterated honey sample was randomly collected from each of the three local governments. The mean nutritional values obtained for the pure sample were as follows: Moisture content (17.69-18.02%); crude fat (0.89-1.29%); crude protein (0.02-0.13%); ash content (0.44-0.51%); carbohydrate content (80.16-80.75%); energy values (1386.613-1396.157 KJ/100 g). While the adulterated honey sample recorded the following results: Moisture content (24.01%); crude fat (0.94%); crude protein (1.26%); ash content (2.64%); carbohydrate content (71.15%); energy values (1247.847 KJ/100 g). These results indicate that the pure honey sample analyzed are of good quality, as such could be used for both nutritional and medicinal purposes, having met the international honey standards. On the other hand, the adulterated honeys should always be used with care since they usually fall below the international honey standards.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MINERAL COMPOSITIONS OF HONEY SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM THE THREE SENATORIAL DISTRICTS OF KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Honey, the unique, natural, liquid sweetening agent is produced by honey bees from the nectar of plants or from honeydew. Honey is also known to have many medicinal applications including antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The composition of honey may vary due to geographical location, environmental and climatic conditions, plant species, as well as the methods employed during collection and storage of the honey. Honey contains different types of proteins, hormones, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, yeast, as well as organic acids, and principally sugars. This study was conducted in order to analyze and compare the mineral contents of the honey samples collected at the three senatorial districts of Kano state, with three honey samples collected from two local governments each from the three Senatorial Districts of Kano State, Nigeria. The mineral compositions of all the honey samples were determined using flame photometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. All the honey samples analyzed were found to be rich in K (247.49 to 251.73 µg/g); Na (137.16 to 147.53 µg/g); Ca (188.57 to 221.32 µg/g); Mg (76.49 to 78.83 µg/g) and Zn (31.15 to 48.92 µg/g), while Fe (6.84 to 14.27 µg/g); Mn (0.08 to 0.13 µg/g); Cu (0.12 to 0.25 µg/g); Ni (0.98 to 1.27 µg/g) and Pb (not detectable to 0.0002 µg/g) were found in smaller concentrations, The mineral compositions of all the honey samples were found to meet the international honey standards, and are therefore suitable for human consumption.