ABSTRACT

 Samples of honey obtained from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture were analysed for their physicochemical parameters (including taste, colour, pH, conductivity, etc), chemical constituents (using GCMS spectrophotometer), proximate composition, carbohydrate composition (using HPLC), cationic composition (using AAS) and rheological properties (using viscometer). The results obtained indicated that honey is mildly acidic and relatively ionic semi-liquid product of bee. Cationic content of the sample was dominated by potassium (8.02 mg/l) and least by heavy metals. Proximate analysis revealed that honey is excessively rich in carbohydrate namely, fructose (36.48%), glucose (32.21 %) and reducing sugar (75.60%), such that fructose/glucose ratio of 1:13 was obtained. Rheological results for the honey revealed that its viscosity increases with increase in concentration but decreases with increasing temperature. Addition of KCl, CaCly, A1Cl, and urea progressively increases the viscosity of the honey in response to their charge to ionic radius ratio. Calculated values of intrinsic viscosity from Huggins and Kraemer's models were 0.081 and 0.07 dl/g. However, in the presence of the studied electrolyte, the intrinsic viscosity values were significantly increased. Confonnational study, using the Power law model indicated a rod like confonnation, even in the presence of electrolytes. Calculated value of activation energy of flow (2.40 kJ/mol) was relatively low and points towards the existence of few inter and inra molecular association while values of enthalpy and entropy of flow were 18.29 and 81.89 kJ/mol hence the attainment of transition state for viscous flow was confirmed to occur by bond breaking.