Water Content of Stingless Bee Honey Varies by Season

Andi Gita Maulidyah Indraswari Suhri* and Irnayanti Bahar

*Universitas Patompo, Jl. Inspeksi Kanal No.10, Rappocini, Makassar City, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia

Jurnal Biologi Tropis, 23.2 (2023): 16-22.

Summary:
The relative humidity of the air in the region where honey is produced has a significant influence on the moisture content of the honey, as well as the production season, feed source, nectar type and concentration, colonystrength, and physical environmental conditions. This study analyzed one hundred fifty samples of honey gathered from Bone, Indonesia during both the wet and dry seasons to assess the percentage of moisture present in the honey. At a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, an Abbetype standard model refractometer was used to measure the refractive index (RI). Comparing honeys produced during the wet season with those produced during the dry season revealed that there is a statistically significant variation in the quantity of moisture that is present (p = 0.0029). Water content in honey samples tested exceeded 20% in eight samples and ranged between 14.6 and 18.2%, with an average of 17.5±1.31%.

Comments:
The humidity (amount of moisture in the air) where honey is made affects how much water is in the honey. Other things that can affect the honey include when it was made, what the bees ate, how strong the bee colony was, and the environment. Scientists collected 150 samples of honey from Bone, Indonesia during both the wet and dry seasons. They used a tool called an Abbetype refractometer to measure the amount of water in the honey. They found that honey made during the wet season had more water in it than honey made during the dry season. In some samples, the water content was higher than recommended, which could be a problem.