Bacteriological, physicochemical, and melissopalynologic properties of some Turkish honeys

Abstract

The bacteriological, physicochemical, and melissopalynological properties of some Turkish honey samples obtained from beekeepers and markets were investigated in this study. Shigella spp., Salmonella spp., Clostridium spp., Paenibacillus larvae, Bacillus spp., total mesophilic and coliform bacteria were screened to determine bacterial populations in honeys. Total coliform bacteria, Shigella spp., and Salmonella spp. were not found. Furthermore, Clostridia, Bacillus and Paenibacillus were in low levels in most of the honey samples. For all samples, the contents of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), electrical conductivity, total acidity, ash, moisture, brix, total protein and invert sugar were varied from 0.71 to 175.18 mg/kg, 0.19 to 1.69 mS/cm, 23.00 to 46.46 meq/kg, 0.03% to 0.89%, 13.1% to 19.4%, 80.78% to 85.08%, 0.13% to 0.18%, 54.55% to 71.52%, respectively. As a result of the melissopalynological analyses, 52 different pollen species were found. Pollen taxa found in large numbers of honeys were as follows; Castanea sativa, Centaurea, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Ericaceae and Fabaceae. According to the results, honey samples tested in this study were good in bacteriological quality. But, we proposed that collaboration of producers and microbiologists is needed to further improve bacteriological quality.