Full Length Research Paper
Ashkani H, Badinij K, Bulfati
Abstract
This study was designed to determine the physicochemical composition and antimicrobial activity against different food pathogens obtained from different honey samples of Apis dorsata of different locations of Pakistan, that is, Changamanga (Central Punjab), Multan (Southern Punjab), Mansehra (Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; I) and Islamabad (Federal Area). These samples were analysed for their moisture, ash, nitrogen, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), diastase number (DN), reducing sugars, total sugars, sucrose contents, acidity and pH contents. It was observed that there was a significant difference among these tested parameters for these honey samples. The analysis showed moisture contents in the range of 22.87-26.70%, ash contents in the range of 0.03-0.1 g/100 g, nitrogen contents in the range of 0.27-0.39%, sucrose in the range of 2.5-4.57%, reducing sugars in the range of 69.62- 73.93%, HMF contents in the range of 37.14-46.60%, acidity in the range of 23.67-43 meq/kg, pH in the range of 3.09-3.61, diastase number (DN) in the range of 18.33-29% and total sugars in the range of 73.67-77.53. Highest antimicrobial activity was recorded for honey collected from Mansehra which gave zone of diameter as 23.3, 26.67 and 22 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus respectively.