*3.2. Physicochemical Analysis of Honey*

The physicochemical properties (moisture content, color, EC, pH, FA, HMF, DN, and sugar contents) were determined from the local and imported honey samples. The majority of the local and imported honey exhibited adequate quality physicochemical properties that were compatible with international regulation of honey quality [9,10]. Local honey samples showed certain physicochemical properties (Tables 3 and 4) that were marked as relatively better (low moisture and HMF; high EC and DN) than that of imported honey samples, with a few exceptions. The low moisture content depicts the maturation of honey without any fermentation and long shelf life, low HMF with high DN illustrates the freshness and

proper handling, and higher EC in the local exceptional nectar honey shows the presence of more mineral elements due to their botanical origin.


**Table 3.** Physicochemical properties of local honey samples.

Means with the same letters are not significantly different from each other (*p* < 0.05, Tukey's test). \* Color was determined in mm on the Pfund scale according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture classifications (water white: <9, extra white: 9–17, white: 18–34, extra light amber: 35–50, light amber: 51–85, amber: 86–114, dark amber: >114). Codex Alimentarius Standard (moisture: ≤20%, Pfund color: 0–150 mm; EC: ≤0.8 mS/cm; pH: 3.4–6.1; FA: ≤50 meq/kg; HMF: ≤40 mg/kg (in tropical regions: 80 mg/kg); DN: ≥8) [9,10].

**Table 4.** Physicochemical properties of imported honey samples.


Means with the same letters are not significantly different from each other (*p* < 0.05, Tukey's test). \* Color was determined in mm on the Pfund scale according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture classifications (water white: <9, extra white: 9–17, white: 18–34, extra light amber: 35–50, light amber: 51–85, amber: 86–114, dark amber: >114). Codex standard (moisture: ≤20%, Pfund color: 0–150 mm; EC: ≤0.8 mS/cm; pH: 3.4–6.1; FA: ≤50 meq/kg; HMF: ≤40 mg/kg (in tropical regions: 80 mg/kg); DN: ≥8) [9,10].
