Effect of Different Storage Conditions on HMF, Diastase and Invertase Activity in A. florea Honey from Jalgaon District, North Maharashtra, India

The present study aimed to reveal the effect of different temperatures and storage duration on the Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentration, diastase, and invertase activity of Apis florea honey produced from Jalgaon district, North Maharashtra, India. For the assessment of HMF, diastase and invertase activity, samples were stored at 250C, 350C, 450C, 550C and 650C for the duration of 1, 3 and 5 h, and the variation in these contents were determined quantitatively. According to the results, heating temperatures of 550C and 650C had adverse effects on the concentration of HMF, diastase, and invertase activity compared to honey treated at 250C, 350C, and 450C. On the basis of duration of heating time, it was observed that temperature increased the HMF content while decreased the diastase and invertase activity in varying proportions. The concentration of HMF increased from 33.55 (1.15%) to 48.21 (45.4%) mg/kg, when stored at 65°C for 5 hours, suggesting that HMF levels rise with storage temperature and time. The enzymatic activity of diastase and invertase reduced by 59.9% and 72.1%, respectively, after 5 hours of storage at temperatures of 550C and 650C, indicates deactivation of diastase and invertase enzymes at high temperature and prolong storage duration. Therefore, it was concluded that during processing and storage of honey, heat treatment at higher temperatures (550C and 650C) may affect the HMF content and enzyme activity, which reduces honey quality and lifespan. However, the storage or processing temperatures should remain upto 450C to preserve HMF and enzymatic integrity which keep the quality and freshness of Apis florea honey.