Elemental composition of acacia honey samples from Serbia

Chemia Naissensis Volume 7, No.1 (2024) (стр. 13-22) 

АУТОР(И) / AUTHOR(S): Stefan Petrović , Jelena S. Nikolić , Milica D. Nikolić , Katarina Milenković , Violeta Mitić , Jelena M. Živković , Vesna Stankov Jovanović

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DOI: 10.46793/ChemN7.1.13P

САЖЕТАК / ABSTRACT:

This study examines the concentration of essential minerals and toxic heavy metals in acacia honey samples collected in Serbia, highlighting their health implications and environmental influences. Among the 23 elements analyzed, calcium levels ranged from 38.35 to 1148.5 mg/kg, averaging 411.5 mg/kg, higher than previous findings for acacia honey, underscoring its nutritional value. Potassium averaged 208 mg/kg, consistent with the literature, whereas Na content was notably higher than the values reported in the literature. Zinc levels were higher than typical (average 11.57 mg/kg), likely due to pollution of acacia plant. Lead was the only detected toxic metal, with concentrations below the European safety threshold of 1 mg/kg. The findings highlight honey’s nutritional benefits and emphasize the need for monitoring environmental contaminants to ensure honey’s safety and quality.

КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS:

acacia honey, elemental composition, ICP OES

ПРОЈЕКАТ/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (CN 451-03-66/2024-03/200124 and 451-03-65/2024-03/200124).

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