Diastase number of honey: what is it and how to determine the quality indicator, table by region
Many consumers evaluate the naturalness of honey by its shade, viscosity and aroma. However, professionals are guided in their work by another important indicator - the diastase number. The higher its value, the higher quality the product is considered. At the same time, not every person knows what it is - the diastase number of honey. To understand this issue, it is important to know what factors this parameter depends on and what it affects.
Diastase number in honey, what is it?
All types of natural honey, which are stored under important conditions, contain many enzymes. Amylase is one of the main protein catalysts. This component has another name - diastasis. This substance affects the decomposition of starch.
The diastase number of honey is considered the main unit of measurement of the quality of a beekeeping product. The higher this indicator, the more qualitative and useful is the product. This parameter can be accurately determined only in the laboratory.
At the same time, honey varieties differ in their individual diastase number. During numerous checks, it was possible to establish the following indicators:
- linden honey contains 11.5-20 Gote units;
- up to 14.6 units are present in the sainfoin product;
- meli sweet honey includes 20.4-21.5 units;
- sunflower product includes 17.8-19 units;
- heather honey contains 27.9-29 units.
What does it depend on?
Although the modern market is full of Chinese honey, experts say that Israeli bee products are considered the highest quality. This is due to the high content of enzymes that are produced by bee saliva. In the chain of biological reactions, they play the role of catalysts that activate the metabolism.
When enzymes interact with other components, glucose breakdown is observed. As a result, hydrogen peroxide is produced. This unstable element undergoes rapid degradation, resulting in pathogens, mold and fungus.
Amylase provokes the destruction of starchy elements and transforms them into m altose. This substance is a sweet crystals that form during the maturation of the product. In the buckwheat product there is a maximum of 6% m altose of the total carbohydrates, and in chestnut - only 4%.The highest content of m altose is observed in acacia and linden honey and is at the level of 5-8%.
The process of synthesizing honey and saturating it with enzymes is considered to be very complex. To fill the goiter with nectar, bees need to fly around more than 1000 flowers. After swallowing the substance, insects regurgitate a mass saturated with amylase. The following factors influence its quantity:
- pollen quality;
- air temperature;
- saturation of insects with enzymes - is determined by the climatic features of the region.
It is worth noting that bee products made in warm regions contain significantly less amylase. So, if the diastase number of Altai honey is 10 units, then in the Yakut product this parameter reaches 25.
How to tell?
It is possible to accurately determine the parameter only by laboratory methods.
At home, only approximate results can be obtained. To do this, you need to do the following:
- Pour cold water into a transparent container with a lid and dissolve 10% honey in it.
- Add another half of a small spoonful of water.
- Dissolve a little table s alt in a teaspoon of water, and then add to the honey composition.
- Combine a pinch of starch with half a small spoon of water, mix and add to the rest of the ingredients.
- Close the container with a lid and put in a water bath for 1 hour.
- Cool the composition and add iodine to it.
Due to the procedures performed, the liquid should change its shade.The activity of amylase, which is present in the composition, depends on its saturation. If the mass has become yellow or colorless, the diastase number is 11 units. The remaining variations indicate the low quality of the product.
Table of range of diastase numbers by region
The norm of the diastase number is different. It differs by region. At the same time, the main indicators are fixed in GOST. They are in the range of 7-50 units. According to UN standards, the minimum value should be 3 Gote units. Moreover, these regulatory documents also stipulate the content of another element - hydroxymethylfurfural. Its amount should not exceed 15 milligrams in 1 kilogram.
This is due to the fact that in the world there are bee products with a low content of natural diastase.These include varieties from flowering acacia, citrus and cotton types of honey. So, the main parameters of diastase are given in the table: units of Gothe
Buryatia| Voronezh | |
| Vologda | |
| Nizhny Novgorod | 8 |
| Dagestan | 10 |
| Kalmyk | 6,4 |
| Irkutsk | |
| 17 | |
| 14.6 | |
| 23 | |
| 18 | |
Determining the main quality indicator
Today there are several ways to determine the main indicator of honey. Many countries use the Gothe method. The technique is based on the special ability of enzymes to break down starch.
The number of diastase is calculated by dissolving starch with a concentration of 1% for 1 hour at a temperature of +40 degrees in 1 gram of honey. The amount of dissolved starch is the main indicator.
The parameter is expressed in Gothe units.
This method is considered quite complicated and long, but it helps to get the most accurate result. In addition, there are special tables of diastase numbers.
Wrong opinion
Many people mistakenly believe that diastase itself is the most valuable ingredient in honey. Apparently, this opinion is due to the fact that the indicator is regulated by GOST.However, in reality, the amount of this enzyme determines the viscosity of the nectar that the bees process.
The diastase number of honey is a significant indicator that reflects the quality of the beekeeping product. The higher this parameter, the more valuable the substance is considered. It is possible to accurately determine the indicator only in the laboratory. At the same time, there are quite a lot of informative home methods for determining the parameter.
Recommended
How to check honey for naturalness at home: ways to determine quality
Not everyone knows how to check honey for naturalness at home. It is not difficult to do this - it is important to follow the instructions clearly.
Buckwheat honey: how to determine naturalness and quality at home
What is buckwheat honey, how does it look and how to determine its naturalness. Main characteristics. How is buckwheat honey different from other types of nectar.
Wheat falling number: what it is and what it affects, how to determine the value
The meaning of the number of falling wheat, what is it. Calculation technology, how analysis is carried out in the laboratory. How high and low values affect the quality of bread.
