Correlation between water activity and moisture content of Turkish flower and pine honeys

Abstract

Water activity (a w) and moisture content (MC) of Turkish liquid flower and pine honeys were determined. Samples (706 flower and 257 pine) were collected during the honey harvesting seasons of 2010-2014 from 137 apiaries in locations with different climatic conditions all over the land. Up to date, this work is the first one seeking for a correlation between a w and MC for Turkish honeys, and also it is the largest and longest one among similar works to the best of the researchers' knowledge. The ranges of a w and MC values of the Turkish honeys were in agreement with the literature. a w was determined between 0.470 and 0.563 for the flower honeys, and between 0.492 and 0.589 for the pine honeys. MC was measured between 15.0 and 20.4% (m/m) for the flower honeys and between 15.1 and 20.4% (m/m) for the pine honeys. Statistically different linear regression equations (a w versus MC) fitted data of the flower and pine honeys with significantly high coefficients of determinations (R 2 > 0.848), small mean absolute errors (< 1.39%) and no biases. The linear equations were analogous to equations giving the correlation between a w and MC for other honeys in the literature.

Characteristics of forest honey from several areas in Riau Province, Indonesia

“…The moisture content of Riau honey samples was higher than that of Tunisia honey (17.27% to 19.80%) and Turkish honey (15.1% and 20.4%) (13,15). The high moisture content in Riau honey samples can be caused by honey harvesting in the rainy season.…”

Static Water Vapor Sorption Properties of Honey

“…This one-point relation between a w and EMC is good for estimating a w using MC or vice versa, and how prone honey is to deterioration. The a w and EMC of many honeys were determined under practical conditions (20°C), and a linear correlation among them was established in most cases (Serin et al, 2018). They were within the Water vapor sorption of honey short range of a w from 0.44 (Abramovic et al, 2008) to 0.70 (Cavia, 2004).…”

​Effect of Germination on the Physical and Functional Properties of Brown Rice Flours

“…This might be due to the production of hydrophilic molecules during enzymatic degradation that occurred during the germination process. Hydrophilic molecules bind with water and cause less free water in GBR flours (Serin et al, 2018). The obtained a w values indicate longer shelf life and better keeping quality of the GBR flours developed and hence can be used in various food formulations.…”