Factors determining the quality of honey: physical-chemical characteristics, biological properties and environmental influences

Abstract

The quality of honey produced by bees is influenced by several aspects that impact its physicochemical, biological and sensory characteristics. As a widely used natural product, honey has been the subject of several investigations that examine its chemical composition, which consists of an intricate combination of sugars, organic acids, enzymes and phenolic compounds. Honey quality is a multifactorial characteristic that is affected by both internal factors, such as chemical composition, and external factors, such as environmental conditions and bee management practices. In addition to its nutritional value, honey also has significant biological properties, such as antibacterial and antioxidant activities, which have been extensively studied in different parts of the world. Recent studies have shown that these biological effects are influenced by phenolic compounds and flavonoids, and that these effects may vary depending on the environmental conditions and the bee species involved in production. Given this scenario, this study aims to review the main factors that influence the quality of honey from bees, considering the physicochemical, biological and environmental aspects. Data collection was carried out between June and September 2024, using the following scientific access platforms: Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. In addition, journals specialized in beekeeping and food science were consulted. To ensure the relevance and comprehensiveness of the review, descriptors that directly reflected the central theme of the study were defined. The main descriptors used to search for articles included: "honey quality", "physical-chemical properties of honey", "biological activity of honey", "beekeeping management", "environmental factors and honey", "honey analysis", "chemical composition of honey" and "bees and honey production". The descriptors were combined with Boolean operators ("AND", "OR") to optimize the results and expand the search for articles that met the established criteria. In this context, based on the results The quality of bee honey is a direct reflection of its physical-chemical composition, its biological properties and the environmental factors that influence production. In recent years, interest in studying these variables has grown considerably, due to the commercial and medicinal value of honey. The following research concludes by reporting that the quality of honey is largely influenced by its chemical composition, especially sugars and phenolic compounds, which determine its nutritional and biological properties. These factors are critical to ensuring the safety and therapeutic value of the product. Environmental conditions such as climate and flora, as well as beekeeping practices, directly affect the quality of honey. Taking care of these factors is essential for the production of pure, high-quality honey.