Dehydration of stingless bee honey using microwave drying technique

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to establish the microwave drying kinetics for the dehydration of stingless bee honey, evaluate the effect of microwave heating on the quality of stingless bee honey and establish the optimum parameters of microwave drying of the stingless bee honey. Analyses of initial and microwave-treated stingless bee honey were: moisture content, brix, color, total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity. The stingless bee honey was dehydrated from around 32 % to 20.48 % moisture content on dry basis at 3 microwave power levels. For moisture content, the result was the higher the microwave power, the higher the drying rate and the lower the time taken to be dehydrated to 20.48 % moisture content. For brix and total phenolic content, there were increments of percentages and 3 microwave power levels produced nearly results that there are no significant differences. For color, the result was white grade change to extra light amber grade and 3 microwave power levels produced same color grade of stingless bee honey. For radical scavenging activity, 3 microwave power levels produced different results, the higher the microwave power levels, the lower the remaining DPPH percentage and the faster the microwave heating process. 400 W was the optimum microwave power in this research as the quality of the honey was well preserved when compared with 200 and 300 W.