Analysis of Sugar Profile and Organoleptic Characteristics of MalaysianTualang and Acacia Honey

Abstract

Honey is a naturally sweet substance made by honeybees from plant nectar, secretions, or excretions of plant-sucking insects. Malaysian honey is primarily produced by two bee species: Apis and Trigona spp. This study focused on Tualang honey (TH) produced by Apis dorsata while Acacia honey (AH) was produced by Apis mellifera. It was reported that Malaysia’s honey industry faces challenges in detecting adulterated honey, potentially accounting for 90% of total sales. The lack of information on the quality of Malaysian honey has affected consumer trust in honey despite its global popularity. Therefore, the objectives of this research are to evaluate and compare the taste, scent, texture and colour of Malaysian Tualang and Acacia honey using organoleptic analysis, to determine the honey colour standard and to analyse total amount of sugar and moisture content as well as identify the type of sugar in both honeys via refractometric method and qualitative carbohydrates tests.