International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition

Authors
Odangowei I Ogidi, Ebenyam J Otenep

Abstract
Honey is a natural sweet viscous liquid product produced by various honey bees from the nectar of blossoms or from the secretion of living parts of plants that has been consumed since early humans. Honey is noted for its high nutritional values and beneficial roles in human health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional properties of honey from Apis mellifera by determining proximate, micro and macro mineral compositions using the standard method of Association of Analytical Chemist (AOAC). Proximate results obtained in the honey sample revealed the values of moisture content, ash content, crude protein, crude lipid, crude fiber, dry matter and nitrogen free element to be 21.31±0.30%, 1.43±0.03%, 0.58±0.04%, 0.25±0.03%, 1.41±0.05%, 78.69±0.30% and 96.36±0.005% respectively. Micro mineral contents were Iron (1.32±0.03%), Manganese (0.03±0.001%), Zinc (0.24±0.01%), and Copper (0.14±0.01%) and macro mineral contents were 5.06±0.09% for calcium, 0.28±0.02% for Magnesium, 2.46±0.02% for Sodium, 6.78±0.06% for Potassium and 2.87±0.04% for Phosphorus. This study reveals that honey possesses nutritional quality and supports their utilization in various food products that can be used as supplement for the need of human.