O mel: uma revisão bibliográfica das análises de controle de qualidade e de atividade antioxidante

Abstract

Beekeeping is a sustainable source of employment and income that contributes to the balance of the ecosystem as well as the maintenance of biodiversity, with honey as its main product, the same produced naturally by bees from pollens and nectar found in branches and flowers. The purpose of this brief review was to present and discuss the necessary quality control parameters, as well as some analyzes to quantify the antioxidant activity of this product. Therefore, information related to sampling, humidity, pH, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, ash, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, insoluble solids, pollen, fermentation and acidity were reported, as well as, analysis of DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, total phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Therefore, this review demonstrates the importance of these minimum parameters as a way to ensure the identity and quality of honey and help in the quantification of antioxidant activity, since honey has significant levels.