Honey is defined as a naturally sweet mixture produced by bees (Apis mellifera) from the nectar of flowers, from secretions of parts of the living plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the riving part of plants that the honey bees collect,transform and combine with specific substances of their own (such as enzymes), deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in the beeswax honeycombs to ripen and mature. Physically, honey is a viscous material, where all the sugars (33.3-43.0% fructose, 25.2-35.3% glucose, 0-2% sucrose, maltose as well as more complex sugars and trace polysaccharides) are present in an amorphous, devitrified state. All components (carbohydrates, water, enzymes, amino acids, pigments, variable amounts of sugar-tolerant yeasts, pollen, traces of vitamins, organic acids and wax and probably crystals of dextrose hydrate) are due to maturation of the honey; some are added by the bees, and some are derived from the plants. However, honey from the same floral source can also vary dueto seasonal climatic variations or to a different geographic origin.
展开▼
