Comparison of the physicochemical characteristics of sidr (<i>Ziziphus</i> spp.) honey produced by <i>Apis florea</i> F. and <i>Apis mellifera</i> L.

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between species of honey bees and properties of their produced honey. Honey samples were obtained during sidr (Ziziphus spp.) season flow in 2017 from the apiary of the Training and Research Station, King Faisal University in the Al-Ahsa oasis of eastern Saudi Arabia. Physical characteristics and chemical composition of the honey produced by Apis florea (AF) were determined in comparison to the honey from the same botanical and geographical origins produced by two subspecies of Apis mellifera (AM): A. m. carnica (AMC) and A. m. jemenitica (AMJ). Melissopalynological analysis showed similar percentages of pollen grains from the major sources in all honey samples. The highest values of electrical conductivity, % moisture, % fructose, % isomaltose, % trehalose, % ash, % protein, free acidity, and invertase activity were found in the honey produced by AF. The highest values of % glucose, % erlose, pH, and diastase number were obtained from the honey produced by AMC. The highest values of specific gravity, % turanose, % maltose, and glucose oxidase activity were obtained from the honey produced by AMJ. It was concluded that the physicochemical characteristics of the honey can be correlated with the species of the honey bees producing the honey, and it is possible to differentiate between honeys produced by honey bees of different species or subspecies.