> Does anyone know of research related to the potential destruction of
> the various measurable enzymes of honey caused by microwaves?
>
>   (\      Nick Wallingford
>  {|||8-   [log in to unmask]
 
There was an article in Deutsches Bienen-Journal 3: 78-82 by Werner von
der Ohe/Katharina von der Ohe in 1992 entitled "Honigqualitat: der
Einfluss der Temperatur [Honey quality: the effect of temperature]." The
authors report on their experiments on heating honey either in a water
bath at 40, 50 or 60 deg. C  or with microwaves. The changes in HMF
content and in contents of the enzymes invertase, amylase and glucose
oxidase were recorded.  The heating at 40 deg. C for 24 h caused neither
decrease of enzyme content nor an inrease of HMF content. Treatment with
microwawes caused a slight increase in the HMF content but almost a
total loss of the enzymes.
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Seppo Korpela
Agricultural Research Center of Finland
Plant Production Research
Plant Protection
FIN-31600 Jokioinen, Finland
Phone  INT + 358 3 4188 576
FAX    INT + 358 3 4188 584
E-mail [log in to unmask]
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