Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Ethiopian Honey

Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Ethiopian Honey

Teferi Damto

Holeta Bee Research Center, Oromia Agriculture Research Institute

Ethiopia has about 10 million bee colonies, the largest bee population in Africa and the largest honey producer in Africa, and the tenth-largest honey producer all over the world. The total honey production of Ethiopia is estimated to be 53 000 tons. Honey is a viscous, aromatic, sweet food that is consumed and enjoyed by people around the world. For this reason, it requires certain standards and norms that guarantee its identity and quality so that consumers may safely consume honey, and the same shall have free circulation in the internal market and access to the external market. Honey quality is determined by its physicochemical and rheological constituents. Knowing honey characteristics is useful for processing, packaging, and storage of honey in appropriate conditions which are used to preserve their qualities and know their nutritional and medicinal value as well. The majority of Ethiopian honey possesses good characteristics in terms of physicochemical and rheological properties although there is a slight variation among parameters due to different factors. Training and creating awareness beekeepers and other stakeholders on honey quality may reduce the problem related to honey quality.

Keywords: Physicochemical; Rheological; Quality; Honey; Ethiopian

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Teferi Damto. Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Ethiopian Honey. International Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 2022; 6:47.

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