Determination of non-volatile compounds of different botanical origin Brazilian honeys

The levels of water, HMF, free proline, total acidity, diastase activity, f ructose and glucose in 74 different floral type honeys from four Brazilian regions are reported. The majority of the samples showed adequate water and HMF contents indicating the use of good practices by beekeepers in Brazil. Large variation in the contents of proline (389-520 mg/kg) was found in th e honeys from the four regions studied. These findings are presumably due t o the more intensive labor of the bees on the collected nectar by adding gl and secretions. The high amount of diastase (40-120 degrees G) found in som e honeys from the northeast region could be due to the visit of the bees to Manhiot sp. (cassava) flour factories to collect starch-rich food, consequ ently increasing the diastase activity in the honey. Xerotolerant yeasts ma y be responsible for higher total acidity and ratios below 1 for fructose/g lucose found in some samples. The majority of the analysed honeys (82%) wer e within the limits of the European Codex Honey Standards and Brazilian leg al regulations. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.