TABLE 1. - Average composition of floral and honeydew honey and range of values(1)

Characteristic or constituent

Floral honey

Honeydew honey

Average values

Range of values

Average values

Range of values
Color(2)  

Dark half of white.

Light half of water white to dark.

Light half of amber.

Dark half of extra light amber to dark.
Granulating tendency(3)  

Few clumps of crystals 1/8- to 1/4-inch layer.

Liquid to complete
hard granulation.

1/16- to 1/8-inch layer of crystals.

Liquid to complete soft granulation.
Moisture

percent

17.2

13.4-22.9

16.3

12.2-18.2
Levulose

do

38.19

27.25-44.26

31.80

2.91-38.12
Dextrose

do

31.28

22.03-40.75

26.08

19.23-31.86
Sucrose

do

1.31

.25-7.57

.80

.44-1.14
Maltose

do

7.31

2.74-15.98

8.80

5.11-12.48
Higher sugars

do

1.50

.13-8.49

4.70

1.28-11.50
Undetermined

do

3.1

0-13.2

10.1

2.7-22.4
pH  

3.91

3.42-6.10

4.45

3.90-4.88
Free acidity(4)  

22.03

6.75-47.19

49.07

30.29-66.02
Lactone(4)  

7.11

0-18.76

5.80

.36-14.09
Total acidity(4)  

29.12

8.68-59.49

54.88

34.62-76.49
Lactone ÷ free acid  

.335

0-.950

.127

.007-.385
Ash

percent

.169

.020-1.028

.736

.212-1.185
Nitrogen

do

.041

0-.133

.100

.047-.223
Diastase(5)  

20.8

2.1-61.2

31.9

6.7-48.4
(1) Based on 490 samples of floral honey and 14 samples of honeydew honey.

(2) Expressed in terms of U.S. Department of Agriculture color classes.		 (3) Extent of granulation for heated sample after 6 months' undisturbed storage.

(4) Milliequivalents per kilogram.

(5) 270 samples for floral honey.
           

BEEKEEPING IN THE UNITED STATES AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NUMBER 335