HMF in HONEY
Biagio Fallico, Elena Arena, Mario Zappalà, Antonella Verzera
University of Catania - University of Messina (Italy)
3rd AOAC Europe – EURACHEM Symposium3 March 2005
Brussels
HONEY REGULATIONS
• Codex Alimentarius Commission Joint FAO/WHO Food Standard Programme (24th session, Geneva, 2-7 July 2001)
Report of the seventh session of the Codex Committee on Sugars(ALINORM 01/25, London 9-11 Feb. 2000)
• EC Directive 2001/110 Relating to Honey
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Essential Composition and Quality Factors• Chemical composition (moisture, sugars, insoluble solids, conductivity)• Contaminants• Hygiene• Labelling• Methods of sampling and analysis
ALINORM 01/25
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Additional Composition and Quality Factors• Free acidity• Diastase activity• Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)
After processing and/or blending: 40 mg/Kg 80 mg/Kg for honey from Countries or Regions with tropical ambient temperatures
ALINORM 01/25
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
EC Directive 2001/110
Annex II – Composition criteria for honey1. sugars2. moisture3. water insoluble solids4. electrical conductivity5. free acids6. Diastase activity and HMF (determined after processing)
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
6.a Diastase (Schade scale) 8 (in general, except bakers honey)3 (honey with low natural enzyme content (e.g. citrus honey) and a HMF level not higher than 15 mg/kg.
6.b HMF 40 mg/Kg 80 mg/Kg in honeys of declared origin from Regions with tropical climate
Analyses: moisture, glucose, fructose, pH, free acids,lactones, total acidity, conductivity, ash, diastase and HMF
Heating at:50 °C up to 144 h (6 days); 70 °C up to 96 h (4 days)100°C up to 60 h (2.5 days)
HEATING TREATMENTS
Citrus (Citrus Aurantum L.)
Chestnut ( Castanea Sativa L.)
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis L.)
Sulla ( Hedysarium Coronarium L.)
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Chemical composition of the Unifloral honeys
Parameter Citrus
Chestnut
Eucalyptus
Sulla
pH 3.4 5.9 3.7 3.4Free acids (meq/kg) 22.5 9.7 23 15.5Total acidity (meq/kg) 25 11.4 32.5 18Electrical conductivity(S)
193 1128 413 126
Diastase (DU) 7.6 27.3 33.9 10.8HMF (mg/kg) 5.95 - - 1.23
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Chestnut Eucaliptus Citrus Sulla
HMF formation during heating at 100°C
hours of heating
0
4000
8000
12000
16000
0 4 8 12 24 36 48 60
mg/
kg
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
HMF formation during heating at 70°C
Chestnut Eucaliptus Citrus Sulla
0100200300400500600
0 4 8 12 24 48 60 72 84 96hours of heating
mg/
kg
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
HMF formation during heating at 50°C
Chestnut Eucaliptus Citrus Sulla
05
1015202530
0 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 144hours of heating
mg/
Kg
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Influencing factors on HMF levels at 50°C (Results applying ANOVA and Multiple linear regression model analyses)
Main factors: • pH of honey• temperature and time of heating
Specific factors:• Eucalyptus and Sulla were correlated to acidity• Citrus was correlated, at the same time, to: time, pH and free acidity.
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
HMF is clearly an heating index, but the statement that
the amount of HMF is independent of honey type
and composition could be wrong.
Among the studied honeys, Citrus, at the same time of heating, gives the highest amount of HMF
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Citrus honey is a low natural enzyme content9.3±2.7 (Range: 3.4-16.3) D.U.
(Persano Oddo et al., 1995, 1999)
The half life of Diastase in honey at 30°C is:6/7 months
This means 15 mg/kg as HMF limit
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Storage of Citrus Honey (244°C)
0
15
30
45
60
75
0 5 6 8 10 15 17 18Citrus 1 Citrus 2 Citrus 3
HM
F (m
g/K
g)
Months
This does not sound as “scientific based” because:
• a very low limit when there is a natural attitude to form HMF, independently from heating
• at the same time, honeys of different origin (chestnut) can be overheated without reaching the limit (40 mg/Kg).
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Practical consequences (2004):
High honeys sampling levels
10 not conform samples
in 6 months 35 samples (25 citrus)
EU Alert
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Practical consequences (2004):
Direct Effects10 criminal proceedings1000€ each as penaltiesLegal expensesProduct declassificationor destruction Side Effectscostumers complaints•No honey to sell•Toxic or contaminated samples
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
Conclusions:
More attention to: Hygiene aspects and Contaminants
Eliminate the limit of 15 mg/kg for low enzyme honeys
Correlate HMF limits to chemical parameters of honeys and not to the diastase activity
3rd AOAC Europe, Eurachem Symposium, Brussels 3 March 2005
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