Thermosonication and optimization of stingless bee honey processing

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Food Processing Technology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Stingless bee honey (Kelulut) possesses unique properties but requires processing for stability and quality.
• Conventional heating methods can degrade honey's quality attributes.
• Thermosonication offers a potential alternative processing technique.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of thermosonication on Kelulut honey quality.
• To determine optimal thermosonication parameters for honey processing.
• To compare thermosonication with conventional heating.

Main Methods:

• Kelulut honey was processed using thermosonication at temperatures ranging from 45 to 90°C and times from 30 to 120 minutes.
• Key physicochemical properties were analyzed: water activity, moisture content, color intensity, viscosity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), total phenolic content, and radical scavenging activity.
• Response surface methodology was employed to optimize thermosonication conditions.

Main Results:

• Thermosonication significantly reduced water activity (7.9%) and moisture content (16.6%) compared to conventional heating (3.5% and 6.9%).
• Significant increases were observed in color intensity (68.2%), viscosity (275.0%), total phenolic content (58.1%), and radical scavenging activity (63.0%) post-thermosonication.
• Hydroxymethylfurfural levels increased to 62.46 mg/kg, remaining within international safety standards.

Conclusions:

• Thermosonication is an effective processing technique for Kelulut honey, enhancing its quality attributes.
• Optimized conditions (90°C for 111 minutes) maximize benefits while maintaining safety standards.
• This method presents a viable alternative to conventional thermal processing for honey.