Determination of Conventional Sugars in Some Sudanese Honey Samples

Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the percentage of conventional sugars (glucose, sucrose fructose and maltose) in three honey samples collected from BORAM and JEBEL MARRA and KRFAI . The value of refractive index, PH and water content were measured and obtained to be : refractive index 1.49 , 1.49 and 1.489 respectively.PH 4.00 , 4.40 and 4.29 respectively .water content 20 , 19 and 12.6 respectively. The percentage of glucose and fructose and sucrose determined by classical methods (lane-Eynon and iodometric titration) were 36.2 . 37.48 and 35.2 respectively in Boram sample 33.9 , 36.5 and 3.9 in Jebel Marra sample 40.0 ,19.66 andll.36 in Krfai sample. The percentage of glucose and fmctose, sucrose, and maltose determined by HPLC were in Boram sample 31.98 , 38.41 , 0.423 and 1.249 in Jebel Marra sample 35.32 , 37.41 , 0.702 and 0.790 in Krfai sample 35.80 , 33.40 , 15.71 and zero The results obtained by HPLC were usually more accurate , because the technique is more sensitive compared to classical methods From estimation (Fructose / glucose)F/G ratio we found that honey of Boram and Jebel Marra seem to be more genuine ,but the honey of a Krfai may be mixed with other sweeteners most probably cane honey or molasses (artificial honey).