Honey - Sweeteners: Nutritional Aspects, Applications, and Production Technology - page 130

intensityofhoneyisusuallyexpressedasthedistancealongtheamberwedgerangingfrom1to
140 mm (Gonzales et al. 1999). However, honey changes its natural/initial color, darkening as a
resultofstoragetemperatureandcomposition.Lighterhoneys(e.g.,cloverandalfalfa)usuallyhave
amilderlavorandaremuchpreferablethanthedarkerones,withafewexceptions(e.g.,basswood
honeyislightincolorwithastronglavor).
5.9.5 Quality assurance
Thetotalphenoliclavonoidandcarotenoidcontentvariesamonghoneys,withthehighestval-
uestobeobtainedinamberhoneys(Alvarez-Suarezetal.2010).
Theuseofmultivariateanalysisonphysicochemicalparameters—moisture,wateractivity,elec-
tric conductivity, color, hydroxymethylfurfural, acidity, pH, proline, diastase and invertase, and
sugarcomposition(fructose,glucose,sucrose,maltose,isomaltose,trehalose,turanose,andmelezi-
tose)—canbedeterminedinblossomandsuspectedloralhoneysorhoneydewsinordertodiffer-
entiatethem(Bentabol-Manzanaresetal.2011).
With regard to the botanical and geographical origin of honeys, there are suitable methods
basedontheanalysisofspeciiccomponents,investigatinglavors,patterns,distributionofpollen,
aromacompounds,andspecialmarkercompoundsforthedetectionofbotanicaloriginandsome
otherproilesofoligosaccharides,aminoacids,andtraceelementsforthedetectionofgeographical
origin(Anklam1998).
Studies also revealed it is possible to produce clariied honeys and/or enzyme-enriched hon-
eysusingacombinationofmicroiltrationandultrailtrationmembraneprocessing,whichremoves
yeastcells,resultinginimprovedstabilityoftheprocessedhoney(Barhateetal.2003).
Sucrosesyrupisacommonadditiveinhoneyadulterationfordevelopingacheap,simple,con-
venient,andrapidsucrose-adulteratedhoney.Dielectricpropertiescanbeusedtodetectsucrosein
adulteratedhoneyortosensesucrosecontentinhoney,becausethedielectricconstantofpurehoney
ishigherthanhoneysucrose-syrupmixtures(Guoetal.2011a).
5.10 MICrOWaVe appLICatIONS
Inthefoodindustry,honeyisacceptedasasweeteningandabrowningagentwithmanyappli-
cations in various products, such as sauces, dressings, beverages, glazes, spreads, jellies, baked
goods,andconfections.Honeyasalightlyreactiveingredientforbrowningisalsousedwidelyin
microwave-processedproductsbecauseoftheelectrolyteeffectsofvarioussugars;theioniccon-
ductanceeffectsofphosphates,gluconicacid,andothers;andthepresenceofsaltsoforganicacids.
Therefore,honeyhassuperiormicrowavereactivitycomparedtoothersweeteners(e.g.,sugarand
cornsyrup)becauseofitsspecialattributesoffructose,glucose,andmaltose,whicharefavorable
tobrowningreaction,andthepresenceoforganicacids.Researchershaveshownthathoneyheats
twiceasfastaswaterandsigniicantlyfasterthancornsyrupbecauseoftheconcentrationofhoney
solidsandotherphysicalproperties,asshowninTable5.7(NationalHoneyBoard2011c).Aload
factor curve measures a load of honey or a blend that absorbs maximum power in a microwave
ovenandcandeterminetheeficiencyoftheoven.Adielectricconstantrelectsthereductionin
microwavewavelengthasitpassesthroughfoods.Thelossfactordeterminestherateofheatingand
thedissipationofmicrowaveenergy,whichrepresentsthecomplexpermittivityandisviewedasa
shuntresistance.Thelosstangentordissipationfactordeterminesabsorptionandpenetrationdepth
inthemicrowaveprocessingofhoneyproductsandcanbeexpressedasalossfactoranddielectric
constant.Forexample,a20%sugarsolutionhasadielectricconstantclosetowaterandalossfactor
valuehigherthanforhoneyandsyrups.Themicrowavefrequenciesusedforindustrialandhouse-
holdmicrowavesareat915and2450MHz,respectively.