Honey is a thick, syrupy liquid produced by bees from the nectar of flowers. It is composed primarily of glucose and fructose sugars along with small amounts of other constituents. Bees collect nectar and deposit it into honeycombs where enzymes convert it into honey through a process of evaporation. The finished honey is then heated and filtered to remove impurities before being packaged for human consumption. Honey has a sweet taste, ranges in color, and is used as a sweetener and nutritional supplement.

2.  SYNONYMS: Madhu, honey
purified, mel.
 BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: It is sugar
secretion which is deposited in
honey comb by bees, Apis
mellifera , Apis dorsata and other
species of apis.
 FAMILY: Apidae
 GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE: In
Africa, Australia, New zealand,
California and in India.

3. PREPARATION OF MARKET
1. Nectar of flower has 25% sucrose and 75% water.
2. Bees sucks this nectar through hollow tube of mouth and deposits
in honey-sac.
3. Enzyme invertase present in saliva of bee converts nectar into
invert sugar.
The honey is heated to 80°C allow to stand. The impurities which
float over surface are skimmed off and liquid diluted with water to
produce honey of 1.35 density.
4. Natural honey has density 1.47.

4. DESCRIPTION
 Color : pale yellow to yellowish-
brown.
 Odor : characteristic, pleasant.
 Taste : Sweet and faintly acid.
STANDARDS
 Weight per ml - 1.30 to 1.35g.
1. It is syrupy thick liquid.
2. Soluble in water and insoluble
in alcohol.

5. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
Honey is aqueous solution of glucose
(35%), fructose (45%), sucrose (2%). The
constituents are maltose, gum, traces of succinic
acid, acetic acid, dextrin, coloring matters, enzymes
(Invertase, Diastase, Inulase) and Vitamins.
1. Protein and pollen grain from various
flowers are found in honey.
2. Honey is saturated solution of sugar, on
keeping it crystallizing. The crystallized dextrose is
called granulated honey.

6. ADULTERANTS
 Artificial invert sugar is detected by FIEHE’S TEST.
Honey + Pet.ether or Solvent ether Shake well The upper etherial layer
was separated Evaporated in a china dish + 1% Resorcinal in Hcl
soln Transient red colour (Natural honey)
The colour persists for some time (Artificial honey)
 Fehling’s solution test
USES: Demulcent and sweetening agent.
 Provides good nutrients to infants and patients.
 It is antiseptic applied to burns and wounds.
 Also used as common ingredient in cough mixture, cough drops.