DETERMINATION OF HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL CONTENT IN NATURAL HONEYS IN POLAND

Abstract

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a heterocyclic aldehyde, which is formed from saccharides, like
fructose or glucose during the thermal processing of food and during its storage. In the case of natural honey,
the HMF content is used to assess its quality and stability if it has been decrystallized using high temperatures.
According to EU legislation, HMF levels in honey should not exceed 40 mg/kg. The purpose of this study was to
examine selected domestic honey for HMF content before and after different heat treatments. For determination
the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV-VIS detector was used. On the basis of
the obtained results, it was found that sixteen of the seventeen analysed honeys met the quality requirements for
honey in terms of HMF content. One honeydew honey (MPS) exceeded the acceptable limit of EU requirements.
In most cases, heating with ultrasonic marinator, in a microwave oven and in an incubator resulted in an increase
in HMF content in honeys. Microwave heating resulted in the fastest and largest increase of HMF content. All
honey samples regardless of the combination of heating methods were within the acceptable limit, except pine
honeydew honey treated in a microwave oven.