Effect of drying on physicochemical and functional properties of stingless bee honey

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of drying on the functional quality of stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) honey. The honey was subjected to vacuum drying (40–60°C), vacuum evaporation (40–60°C), and freeze drying, respectively, to achieve a standardized moisture content. The dehydrated honey seemed to have a significant (p < .05) darker color (lower L* and higher b* values) as compared to the raw honey. Results suggested that the dryness of the dehydrated honey has significantly affected its antioxidant capacity except oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. It seems vacuum drying at 60°C for 2.2 hr produced honey with higher total phenolic (300.24 ± 6.81 mg GAE/kg) and flavonoid contents (273.83 ± 2.52 mg QE/kg), which were also characterized by the highest 2,2‐azinobis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonate) (ABTS) (371.34 ± 2.57 µmol TE/100 g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (344.20 ± 6.81 µmol Fe2+/100 g). Rosmarinic acid and quercetin are the most dominant phenolic compounds found in the dehydrated honey. In conclusion, vacuum drying could be an efficient way to improve honey physicochemical and functional stability. Practical applications Stingless bee honey production is a new emerging industry in tropical and subtropical countries. The keeping quality of stingless bee honey is limited due to its nature of high moisture content. Thus, removal of excessive moisture from the honey is necessary to maintain the product quality and stability particularly during handling and storage. The application of low‐pressure dehydration processes can aid the evaporation process of water from stingless bee honey. The findings of the present work provide a better insight toward the effect of low‐pressure dehydration on the physicochemical quality and functional properties of stingless bee honey in addition to extend its shelf life.

Stingless bees honeys': physical-chemical characterization, difficulties and challenges

“…Although there are studies involving improvements in honey processing, such as spray drying process (Cuevas-Glory, et al, 2017), thermal dehydration (Chen et al, 2021), pasteurization (Schvezov et al, 2020), moisture reduction by alternative technique in unglazed clay pots with different areas of surface diffusion (Mohamad Ghazali et al, 2021), thermosonication (Chong et al, 2017), among others, we do not advocate the use of processing techniques, thus maintaining the true honey identity, with its own contents and sensory characteristics, without processing to increase its shelf life. Indeed, a study carried out by Braghini and collaborators showed that honey storage from stingless bees at 4° for 365 days maintained its stability, with preservation of bioactive characteristics and physicochemical properties (Braghini et al, 2020) and that stingless bees honey, when stored in good conditions, maintains its stability for up to three years (Jimenez et al, 2016).…”

Effect of preservation methods on antimicrobial activity, and nutritional and microbiological quality of Melipona quadrifasciata bee honey

“…Table 1 demonstrates that the 5-HMF content was significantly higher for the D, S, H, P, and M treatments compared to the fresh and R samples. Lower water activity can facilitate the Maillard reaction and thus increases the HMF content (Chen et al, 2021). Also, honey can crystallize during storage.…”

Methods of the Dehydration Process and Its Effect on the Physicochemical Properties of Stingless Bee Honey: A Review

“…A study showed that the moisture content of the SLBH was reduced from 31.9 to 11 and 5% after the dehydration process using vacuum and freeze-drying methods [ 21 ]. As presented in Table 1 , the vacuum drying and freeze-drying at 5% moisture setting could achieve an 84.3% reduction in water content.…”

“…A study by Chen et al [ 21 ] showed that dehydration processes using vacuum and freeze-drying methods at a 5% moisture setting were able to reduce the water activity level from 0.79 to less than 0.3, as presented in Table 2 . Meanwhile, the water activity level of the vacuum drying and evaporation at an 11% moisture setting could reduce the water activity level to less than 0.5.…”

“…This review also compiles the effect of dehydration on individual phenolic compounds. The dehydration of SLBH that was conducted to reduce the moisture content includes thermal treatment, thermosonication, vacuum drying, vacuum evaporation, freeze-drying, microwave heating, dehumidification, food dehydrator, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) dehydrator and passive diffusion [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. We hope this review could give better insight and aid the readers in deciding the most effective dehydration method to maximize the benefits of SLBH.…”