Food | Determination of Moisture in Honey by Refractive Index Measurements
The moisture content of honey is an important quality criterion in determining the ability of honey to remain stable and resist spoilage by yeast fermentation.
Honey, as extracted from the comb, is an aqueous dispersion of materials with a wide range of particles, inorganic ions, saccharides and other organic materials, like yeasts, enzymes or pollen grains.
Sugars are the major ingredients in honey. Most physical properties of honey are defined by the types and concentrations of these carbohydrates.
The moisture content of honey determines the capability of honey to remain stable and to resist spoilage by yeast fermentation. The higher the honeys moisture content, the higher the probability that the honey will ferment during storage.
The moisture content is therefore of great importance to honey producers, packers and merchants, as it defines the storage stability and the quality of honey.
Honey quality standards for moisture content of honey are specified in the European Honey Directive 2001/110/EC, in the Codex Alimentarius Standard 12-1981 for honey as well as in DIN 10752 and AOAC 969.38B standards.
As the moisture content in honey significantly defines the quality of the product, the determination of moisture in honey is of special interest for honey producers, as well as for exporting and importing industries. It may also be of interest for customs, as taxes apply to the actual product. The more accurate the moisture content of honey may be determined, the more precisely its value be calculated. Thinking in huge batches, small numbers actually make significant differences.
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