Effects of Dehydration and Roselle Powder Addition on Physicochemical Characteristics, Antioxidant Properties and Hydroxymethylfurfural Formation in Stingless Bee Honey

Nur Amni Khalilah  Shaiffullail; Arnida Hani Teh

doi:10.55230/mabjournal.v55i3.3838

Authors

Nur Amni Khalilah Shaiffullail Innovation Center for Confectionary Technology (MANIS), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Arnida Hani Teh
arnida@ukm.edu.my
Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Innovation Center for Confectionary Technology (MANIS), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Keywords:

antioxidant, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), moisture, physiochemical, roselle powder, stingless bee honey

Abstract

High moisture in stingless bee honey increases the risk of fermentation, which may adversely affect the quality. This study evaluates the effects of dehydration and roselle powder addition on the physicochemical characteristics, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation, antioxidant properties, and sensory acceptance of stingless bee honey. The study was conducted using a 4 × 2 factorial design. The factors investigated were dehydration treatment (food dehydrator at 55°C for 18 h) and roselle powder addition at four levels (0%, 5%, 10%, & 20%). Physicochemical analyses included moisture content, colour intensity, pH, total soluble solids, hygroscopicity, and HMF content. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined, and antioxidant activity was evaluated using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay. Sensory evaluation was conducted with 30 panelists to assess multiple sensory attributes. All data were analysed using two-way ANOVA. Both factors had significant effects on the physicochemical characteristics (p<0.05). HMF content increased significantly following dehydration and roselle powder addition (p<0.05). Antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid contents increased significantly with both dehydration and roselle powder addition (p<0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed that overall acceptance remained at a moderate liking level, with no significant differences (p>0.05) observed among the samples. In conclusion, controlled dehydration combined with roselle powder addition improved the physicochemical properties and antioxidant characteristics of stingless bee honey while maintaining comparable sensory acceptance to the control samples. However, dehydration also increased HMF formation, indicating that further optimisation of the dehydration process is required.

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