Assessing and Evaluating Honey Quality at Different Market Points in Adama District and Adama Town, Oromia, Ethiopia
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Date
2023
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
The study was conducted to assess and evaluate the quality of honey produced in Adama District and Adama Town at different market points. Factors that affect honey quality and the botanical origins of honey produced and marketed in the areas were assessed at different market points. For this purpose, a total of 105 respondents were interviewed. Moreover, a total of 23 honey samples were collected from beekeepers and different market points and used for quality analyses. The results of the survey showed that honey quality deterioration starts at harvesting time, like the use of too much smoke, harvesting unripe honey, and improper harvesting and storing materials. In addition, the low volume of honey production compared to the demand for honey in the areas had its own contribution to adulterating honey using different adulterants, which affected the quality of the honey in the areas. According to the survey result, the
major act of adulterating honey has been performed at the street honey sellers’ market point. Most of the quick test results showed that honey sold at most of the market points has quality problems that vary among the market points. The seriousness of the problem is relatively pronounced at the street market and minimarket levels. The ash content, free acidity, and pH value of all honey samples were found to be within the limits of the national standards. Except for the honey samples collected from street (24.62±0.67), minimarkets (23.23±0.58) and retailers (22.60±0.58) the moisture contents of the honey samples were within the national standards. The fructose and glucose contents of the samples were within the ranges of the national standards, whereas none of the samples met the national sucrose content standard. High sucrose content was observed in the samples obtained from retailers (32.23±1.78%) and the
street (31.90±2.06%) market points. In general, the results of this study indicated that there is an overall honey quality problem in the sampled area. However, the level of the problem is more inclined towards the street and minimarket areas. Thus, honey market legislation is needed in the area in particular and in the country in general to protect honey consumers and other stockholders involved in the honey market value chain
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Keywords
Adulteration, Adulterant, Botanical origin, Detection of adulterations Honey, Market point, Physicochemical, Quality, Quick test.