Abstract:
Eight honey samples from Bulgaria with different geographical and botanical origin have been studied in terms of their quality characteristics and element composition. The moisture, determined by a moisture analyzer was found to be 19.0 g 100g-1 at maximum. The ash content was quantified by incineration in a muffle furnace varied from 0.23 to 0.89 g 100g-1. The protein, carbon and nitrogen were defined by combustion at 949 oC TruSpec CN. The protein in honey was found to be between 0.17 and 0.40 %, where as carbon exceeded 19 %, and nitrogen was not more than 638 mg kg-1. In addition, another four macroelements i.e. potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and magnesium, were quantified. The most abundant appeared to be potassium achieving values of 1044 mg kg-1, followed in almost all samples by sodium, hosphorus and magnesium. In three samples magnesium was not detected. From the microelements, zinc was quantified (0.6ч4.9 ppm).