title: Mineral content of the honey produced in Zulia state, Venezuela.
abstract: The mineral content of the honey produced in five zones of the Zulia state, Venezuela, during dry and rainy seasons was determined. The analyzed elements were: sodium, potassium (by emission spectroscopy), calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese (by atomic absorption spectroscopy), phosphorus (phosphate ions, by colorimetric method), and ash content of raw honey samples directly collected from different beekeepers. The mean values for Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and P were 353+84; 1774+138; 237+66; 52+24; 0.76+0.43; 13.5+10.23; 0.92+0.42 and 1642+323 mg/kg respectively. The mean ash content was 0.431+0.15%. Potassium was the most abundant of the elements determined. This results confirm that Zulian honey can be considered a good source of minerals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Alimentos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Betzabé
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sulbarán de Ferrer
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ojeda de Rodríguez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peña
authors.forename: Janeth
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D008903:Minerals / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011188:Potassium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012964:Sodium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014687:Venezuela
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D010758:Phosphorus; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium