What is the diastase number of honey and how to determine this quality indicator

Many consumers evaluate the naturalness of honey by its color, viscosity and aroma. However, professionals are guided in their work by another important indicator - the diastasis 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 considered one of the main protein catalysts. This component also has another name - diastase. 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 higher quality and useful the product is. 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;
• the sainfoin product contains up to 14.6 units;
• sweet clover 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 overflowing with Chinese honey, experts say that the Israeli beekeeping product is considered the highest quality. This is due to the high content of enzymes produced by bee saliva. In the chain of biological reactions they play the role of catalysts that activate metabolism.

When enzymes interact with other components, the breakdown of glucose is observed. As a result, hydrogen peroxide is produced. This unstable element undergoes rapid destruction, resulting in the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms, mold and fungi.

Amylase provokes the destruction of starchy elements and transforms them into maltose. This substance is sweet crystals that form when the product ripens. The buckwheat product contains a maximum of 6% maltose of the total carbohydrates, and the chestnut product contains only 4%.The highest maltose content is observed in acacia and linden honey and is at the level of 5-8%.

The process of honey synthesis and its saturation with enzymes is considered very complex. To fill the crop with nectar, bees need to fly around more than 1000 flowers. After ingesting the substance, insects regurgitate a mass saturated with amylase. Its quantity is influenced by the following factors:

• pollen quality;
• air temperature;
• the saturation of insects with enzymes is determined by the climatic characteristics of the region.

It is worth noting that beekeeping products produced 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 determine?

The parameter can be accurately determined exclusively in the laboratory.

At home you can only get approximate results. 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 a small spoon of water.
• Dissolve a little table salt in a teaspoon of water and then add to the honey mixture.
• 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 place in a water bath for 1 hour.
• Cool the composition and add iodine to it.

As a result of the procedures performed, the liquid should change color. 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. Other variations indicate low quality of the product.

Diastase number range table by region

The normal diastase number varies.It differs by region. At the same time, the main indicators are recorded in GOST. They range from 7-50 units. According to UN standards, the minimum indicator should be 3 Gothe 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 there are beekeeping products in the world with a small content of natural diastase. These include varieties of flowering acacia, citrus and cotton types of honey. So, the main parameters of diastase are given in the table:

Definition of the main quality indicator

Today there are several ways to determine the main indicator of honey. In many countries, the Gothe method is used. 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.

This method is considered quite complex and time-consuming, but it helps to obtain the most accurate result. In addition, there are special tables of diastase number.

Misconception

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. The indicator can be accurately determined only in the laboratory. At the same time, there are quite a lot of informative home methods for determining the parameter.