Physicochemical Properties and Botanical Sources of Honey from Different Areas of Ethiopia: An Implication for Quality Control

Table 2

Physicochemical parameters of honey samples collected from different areas.

Honey source (N = 30)	Parameters (mean ± SE)
	MC (%)	Ash (g/100 g)	pH	FA (meq/kg)	HMF (mg/kg)
Gomma	25.0 ± 1.2^a	0.12 ± 2.0^bc	3.7 ± 0.9^e	23 ± 2.3^e	3.3 ± 3.2^c
Gimbo	23.7 ± 0.5^bc	0.05±.1^bc	3.9 ± 2.0^cde	13.3 ± 1.7^f	4.5 ± 1.5^c
Gesha	20.8 ± 1.0^e	0.03 ± 1.6^c	3.79 ± 1.0^cde	21 ± 3.4^e	6.9 ± 2.6^bc
Dallo menna	22.4 ± 0.7^d	0.3 ± 2.3^bc	5.3 ± 3.0^a	21 ± 2.5^e	12.2 ± 0.8^bc
Gera	23.8 ± 0.2^b	0.3 ± 2.0^bc	4.1 ± 2.1^cd	23.3 ± 1.3^e	12.0 ± 2.0^c
Dedo	19.6 ± 0.5^f	0.5 ± 1.3^b	4.2 ± 2.3^c	42.3 ± 0.6^b	20.0 ± 0.6^abc
Guassa	17.1 ± 1.0^g	2.4 ± 3.2^a	4.7 ± 0.9^b	51.7 ± 4.0^a	48.1 ± 3.8^a
Kersa	23.4 ± 0.6^c	0.1 ± 0.9^bc	3.6 ±.0.6^de	34 ± 3.1^c	33.2 ± 0.6^b
Manna	23.4 ± 2.0^c	0.1 ± 0.6^bc	3.5 ± 2.5^e	31.3 ± 0.7^c	2.1 ± 1.0^c
Rira	19.6 ± 2.0^f	0.4 ± 1.0^bc	4.2 ± 4.0^c	27.3 ± 3.1^d	5.9 ± 4.2^c
Overall mean	21.9	0.42	4.1	28.8	14.8
Standard value	18–23	0.14–0.30	3.2–4.5	<50	<40

Means with different superscript (a, b, c, d, e, and f) columns are significantly different at assessed by Duncan’s multiple ranges. MC (%) = moisture content of honey in percent, FA (meq/kg) = free acidity in mill equivalents per kilogram of honey, HMF (mg/kg) = hydroxymethyl furfural in mg/kg of honey, and Ash (g/100 g) = ash content of honey in g/100 g. Bold represents mean significance level for P value at “.”