Foods and Raw Materials Foods and Raw Materials Foods and Raw Materials 2308-4057 2310-9599 95027 10.21603/2308-4057-2026-1-656 Research Article Research Article Research Article Kelulut stingless bee honey stored under different thermal conditions: Non-destructive assessment Kelulut stingless bee honey stored under different thermal conditions: Non-destructive assessment https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6073-7205 Chin Yee Mun Chin Yee Mun https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7852-8073 Saleena Lejaniya Abdul Kalam Saleena Lejaniya Abdul Kalam Lim Lee Ying Lim Lee Ying https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5305-4334 Pui Liew Phing Pui Liew Phing puilp@ucsiuniversity.edu.my https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5293-7466 Solihin Mahmud Iwan Solihin Mahmud Iwan UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Малайзия UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Малайзия UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Малайзия UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Малайзия UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Малайзия UCSI University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 14 02 2025 14 02 2025 14 1 71 83 01 04 2024 02 07 2024 https://jfrm.ru/en/issues/23173/23290/

Kelulut honey (Heterotrigona itama) is gaining popularity, which makes its quality assessment an important issue. We employed the method of near-infrared spectroscopy to perform a non-destructive quality assessment of refrigerated and non-refrigerated postharvest Kelulut honey. The research objective was to define the physical and chemical properties of Kelulut honey stored for 0, 1, 2, 7, and 14 days, as well as to establish effective prediction models based on the methods of principal component regression and partial least squares. The Brix value, moisture content, and sugar content exhibited no significant differences (p > 0.05) for the entire storage time. However, the Brix value and sugar content decreased as the moisture increased during storage. pH values decreased while the hydroxymethylfurfural content increased across the entire storage time. Significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the pH and hydroxymethylfurfural values for honey stored at different temperatures. The prediction model of sugar content based on principal component regression demonstrated acceptable accuracy (R2 = 0.7) and low mean squared error. After pre-processing and partial least squares regression, the method of near-infrared spectroscopy proved accurate and effective in defining the quality of Kelulut honey.

Kelulut honey (Heterotrigona itama) is gaining popularity, which makes its quality assessment an important issue. We employed the method of near-infrared spectroscopy to perform a non-destructive quality assessment of refrigerated and non-refrigerated postharvest Kelulut honey. The research objective was to define the physical and chemical properties of Kelulut honey stored for 0, 1, 2, 7, and 14 days, as well as to establish effective prediction models based on the methods of principal component regression and partial least squares. The Brix value, moisture content, and sugar content exhibited no significant differences (p > 0.05) for the entire storage time. However, the Brix value and sugar content decreased as the moisture increased during storage. pH values decreased while the hydroxymethylfurfural content increased across the entire storage time. Significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed between the pH and hydroxymethylfurfural values for honey stored at different temperatures. The prediction model of sugar content based on principal component regression demonstrated acceptable accuracy (R2 = 0.7) and low mean squared error. After pre-processing and partial least squares regression, the method of near-infrared spectroscopy proved accurate and effective in defining the quality of Kelulut honey.

 Heterotrigona itama near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) physicochemical properties prediction model storage Heterotrigona itama near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) physicochemical properties prediction model storage The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Centre of Excellence for Research, Value Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CERVIE) – UCSI University, for supporting this project under the PSIF project code: Proj-2019-ln- FETBE-063. Besides that, the authors would also like to thank Melipoly Sdn. Bhd. for providing honey. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Centre of Excellence for Research, Value Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CERVIE) – UCSI University, for supporting this project under the PSIF project code: Proj-2019-ln- FETBE-063. Besides that, the authors would also like to thank Melipoly Sdn. Bhd. for providing honey.

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