Abstract:
Honey is a naturally occurring, sweet, sticky, and viscous liquid that bees make from
flower nectar or from living plant material. For safe handling, storage, and quality control
of the products, the physicochemical and biochemical parameters of honeys are essential.
This study analyzed a few specific physicochemical and biochemical characteristics of
honey that is produced in West Gojjam, specifically in the districts of Dembech and Dega
Damot. A variety of physicochemical and biochemical characteristics, such as pH, free
acidity, electrical conductivity, moisture content, water-insoluble solids, ash content, color,
hydroxymethylfurfural, total sugars, apparent sucrose, total phenolics, and antioxidant
activity, were examined in the honey samples that were taken from various sub-union
corporations. The results showed that the range of values were identified for pH, free
acidity, electrical conductivity, moisture content, water insoluble parts, ash content, color,
HMF, total sugar, apparent sucrose, total phenolic, and antioxidant activity, 3.61 - 4.16;
37.5 - 40.22 meq/kg; 38.36 - 65.49 μs/cm; 17.4 - 19.77%; 0.39 - 0.44%; 0.38 - 0.61%;
65.84 - 135.19 mm Pfund; 53.00 - 69.72 mg/kg; 58.3 - 72.00%; 2.7 - 4.47%, and 41.74 -
93.98 (mg.GAE/100g) and 37.87 - 86.29 (IC50mg/ml) respectively. A one-way ANOVA test
(P < 0.05) identified a significant variation in pH, apparent sucrose, HMF, moisture,
electrical conductivity, free acidity and total sugar between the honey samples from the
Dembech and Dega Damot areas. But, ash, honey color, total phenolic content, water
insoluble content and antioxidant activity were not significant variation as the result that
we observed in the study area between the two districts. Additionally, the observed results
demonstrated that the honeys generated in the research area had physicochemical and
biochemical property analyses almost fell within the acceptable limits of both national and
international standards. To ensure that the primary physicochemical and biochemical
characteristics are within the criteria throughout the year, a seasonal study is advised.