DESENVOLVIMENTO E CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DE MÉIS SABORIZADOS

Abstract

Honey is a food produced by honeybees from plant nectar or plant sap. It has been consumed by humans since ancient times and is traditionally used as a sweetener and for therapeutic purposes. It is commonly used in everyday preparations, as well as consumed in natura. This study aimed to develop and physicochemically characterize honeys flavored with spices, as a strategy to diversify production and increase the added value of Apis mellifera honey. Flavored honeys were prepared using six types of spices: cinnamon stick, clove, star anise, tonka bee, pink pepper and Calabrian pepper. The samples underwent physicochemical analyses to evaluate parameters such as moisture, ash, acidity, pH, ºBrix and water activity, comparing them with natura honey. In the aw parameter, all samples differed significantly (p<0.05) from the pure honey sample, presenting the highest aw result (0.63). Regarding moisture content, only pink pepper (16.27) did not differ significantly (p>0.05) from the pure honey sample (16.50). The analyzed samples had satisfactory results, all within the maximum limit allowed by Brazilian legislation, which is 20g/100g. In the ºBrix parameter, no sample differed significantly (p>0.05) from the pure honey sample. In the pH parameter, the pure honey sample presented a result of 3.78, being more acidic than the other samples. In addition, all flavored honey samples differed significantly (p<0.05) from the pure honey sample. In the acidity parameter, only pink pepper (12.32) presented a value similar to pure honey (11.67). Regarding the ash content, only the honey flavored with pink pepper (0.09 g/100 g) did not differ significantly (p>0.05) from the pure honey sample (0.11 g/100 g). In the principal component analysis, the honeys with pepper, rose, calabrian pepper and anise showed great similarity because they were in the same quadrant (positive PC1 and PC2). While the honeys flavored with clove and cinnamon were grouped in negative PC1 and PC2, demonstrating similarities between them. An instrumental color analysis was also performed, evaluating the parameters L*, a*, b*, C* and h, comparing them with the natural honey. In general, the results showed that the addition of spices significantly altered the physical-chemical and chromatic parameters of the honeys, without compromising their quality, all of which were within the legislation. The research highlighted the potential of flavored honey as an innovative and attractive product in the food market.