NUTRITIONAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS OF HONEY SAMPLES OBTAINED FROM OGUN STATE, SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

There are no detailed studies on the nutritional and microbiological characteristics of honeyproduced in Ogun State in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. This paper investigated thesecomponents in honeys produced from different parts of this state. A total of 10 honey samples peryear were collected for the years 2008 – 2010. These were separately analyzed for their physicalproperties, nutritional and microbiological components in the laboratory. The results of thephysical properties showed that honey samples obtained from Ago-Iwoye has the lowest pH of3.48, which was significantly different from the pH values of 5.06, 5.21 and 4.06 obtained fromhoney samples from Abeokuta, Ibefun and Ilisan honey samples respectively. There wassignificant difference in moisture contents of honey samples obtained from Ogere (16.19 %), Otta(19.14 %) and Ijebu-Ode (18.21 %), while the percentage ash contents of 0.78 % obtained fromhoney samples collected from Abeokuta was not significantly different from the value of 0.75 %obtained from Ago-Iwoye honey (P ≤ 0.05). However, the value of 1.11 mg 100 g-1 forhydroxymethylfurfural obtained from Ago-Iwoye honey samples was not significantly differentfrom the value of 0.32 mg 100 g-1 in honey samples obtained from Sagamu.The value for glucose ranged from 18.42 – 30.16 g 100 g-1, while fructose sugar varied between25.42 – 38.21 g 100 g-1. Minimum protein value of 0.02 % was obtained from Ijebu-Ode honey,while the maximum of 0.51 % was obtained from honey samples from Ilisan. Results of theelemental nutrient showed that potassium was the most abundant element in honey samples withthe range value of 14.78 – 17.42 mg 100 g-1 followed by calcium, which varied from 2.13 – 11.25mg 100 g-1. However, result of microbiological properties showed that the total plate count variedfrom 0.2 – 3.4 cfu g-1, whereas total coliforms were not detected in honey samples collected fromAgo-Iwoye, Otta, Ibefun, Ife and Sagamu. Clostridium spp, Bacillus spp and yeast were also detectedat low count in all honey samples investigated.Moreover, honey samples obtained from different parts of Ogun State were found to becontaminated with Pseudomonas spp., Xanthomonas spp., Bacillus spp., E. coli and Clostridium spp,while fungi spores intercepted were Pennicillium oxalicum, Aspergilus niger, A. Flavus and Fusariumoxysporum at different levels and counts.