The influence of hermanium citrate on the indicators of quality and safety of natural honey

Abstract

Honey has been used as a high-quality food product and as a remedy for many diseases in antiquity, which is a topical antimicrobial agent for the treatment of infectious diseases. At the same time, honey is a source of antioxidants, which has natural antioxidant properties and can kill biologically toxic and chemical substances which are associated with many diseases.

From literary sources are known that organic germanium promotes the induction of interferon gamma by inhibition of rapidly growing cells. They also activate the natural killer T (NKT) cells. At the same time, Germanium citrate has a pronounced ability to deliver oxygen to anywhere in the body and ensure its interaction with water ions. The basis of the organic interaction of Ge with its ions, H +, is the dehydrogenation reaction.

The purpose of the research was to compare the influence of germanium citrate obtained by nanotechnology on the quality of honey, depending on the given dose.

Materials and methods.

The research was conducted on apiary in Alexandria, Kirovohrad region. The apiary was divided into 3 groups with seven bee families in each . For 50 days, starting from June, citrate Ge was given to a bee watering-place. The first (I) control group received a standard drink throughout the study period. Bees of experimental group II received citrate Ge in a dose of 0.4 mg per 1 liter of water, and in group III at a dose of 0.2 mg/liter of water. Selected samples of natural honey collected in 2017 were investigated according to the quality indices: water content, content of reducing sugars, diastase activity, total acidity, pH and proline content.

The research was carried out in the accredited laboratory of power and the Kirovohrad Regional State Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine.

Research results

According to Kovalchuk I.I. etc. supplemental addition to the water for bees, Germanium syrup and Selenium, as citrate, (experimental group II 0.5 mg Ge and III - 0.3 mg Ge + 0.2 mg Se). are produces significantly higher physico-chemical parameters of honey than the control group.            

Based on the above studies, we have identified the initial doses of adding Ge to the water of bees. It should be noted that on the fourth day of study in group II water consumption decreased significantly, and then bees began to look for other places to drink. Therefore, the concentration of Ge was reduced by 0.1 mg.

The bees of the families of groups II and III provided significantly higher amounts of honey. Thus, in the control group from the hive frame  for bees, 1.5 kg of fresh honey was obtained in natural form, in the second group the pumped honey was 13.3% more, while in group III the amount of honey increased by 20% and amounted to 1.8 kg.

Also, there was a higher flying activity in group III compared to the II experimental and control.

Diastase enzyme activity (diastase number) is one of the main indicators that is most often used to control the quality and naturalness of honey. According to the conducted studies, it was found that the diastase number was higher in the II group by 5.3 %, and in III by 4.3 % relative to the control group under the condition of the water supply with the addition of citrate Ge.

Water content is an important indicator of the quality and maturity of honey. According to our research, a water content in groups II and III was higher by 5.4-6.5 % relative to the control group, indicating its higher maturity and also about better resistance to enzymatic changes.

Mature honey has a stable number of pH and total acidity, which are important indicators of honey quality too. In the experimental groups II and III there was a decrease in the total acidity by 2.4 % compared to the control sample, and the pH did not change and was 3.1.

The content of sugars with properties of reducing agents is an important parameter in evaluating the maturity of honey and is analyzed in order to detect any falsification in honey. In our experiment, any feeding of bees was not carried out. So the results in experimental groups, compared with the control, did not differ and was within 0.07 %.

Proline is an indicator that characterizes the quality of honey and antioxidant properties. As a result of the research, no significant changes in proline relative to the control sample were observed. And they differed in experimental groups with an increase of 5 %.