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A Cost Effective Colourimetric Assay for Quantifying Hydrogen Peroxide in Honey
Citation:
Lehmann, D., K. Krishnakuman, M. Batres, A. Hakola-Parry, N. Cokcetin, E. Harry, AND D. Carter. A Cost Effective Colourimetric Assay for Quantifying Hydrogen Peroxide in Honey. Access Microbiology. Microbiology Society, London, Uk, 1(10):e000065, (2019). https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000065
Impact/Purpose:
Production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in diluted honey is central to the antimicrobial action of honey. Here, we describe a cost-effective and easy-to-perform method for measuring levels of H2O2 in honey. Using this method, we quantified the hydrogen peroxide content polyfloral honeys collected in North Carolina. Our results show that the H2O2 content of these honeys varies greatly, with some honeys only producing negligible levels of H2O2.
Description:
Honey is a natural product with many beneficial properties including antimicrobial action. Production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in diluted honey is central to this action. Here, we describe an optimized method for measuring levels of H2O2 in honey. This method is based on established methods, with the level of dilution, the time between dilution and reading the assay, and aeration of the samples during the assay identified as critical points for ensuring reliability and reproducibility. The method is cost-effective and easy to perform using common laboratory equipment. Using this method, we quantified the hydrogen peroxide content of five different, unprocessed polyfloral honeys collected in NC, USA. Our results show that H2O2 production by these honeys varies greatly, with some samples producing negligible levels of H2O2. We assessed the effect of colour on the assay by measuring the recovery of spiked H2O2 from light and dark honey and from serially diluted dark corn syrup, and found the amount of H2O2 that could be detected was lower in dark corn syrup and darker honey samples.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: A Cost Effective Colourimetric Assay for Quantifying Hydrogen Peroxide in Honey