Flower Honey and Sustainable Development of Beekeeping in Azerbaijan
摘要
Natural honey is a very valuable bee product that has been used since ancient times. Although the main source is the nectar of various flowering plants, these nectars are formed by the digestive enzymes of bees, and the water contained in them is removed as much as possible and converted into honey. The diversity of sources and the fact that the nectars of those plants have different chemical compositions lead to the creation of forms of honey with different colors, tastes, appearances, and qualities. From this point of view, there are many types of honey that contain different shades of color, such as yellow, red, and black; vary from more liquid to solid semi-liquid form; have a taste from sweet to bitter; and do not crystallize all year round or crystallize after they are obtained, etc. There are difficulties in determining the standard of honey, the physical and chemical properties of which vary depending on the country, region, natural zones, vegetation, and air temperature. Although many honeys show similar biological properties, there are also examples of honeys that are rich in completely different biologically active compounds and therefore have important medical importance. All this makes the study of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of honey available in different parts of the world relevant. The diverse and favorable natural-geographical conditions of Azerbaijan and the rich vegetation cover have led to the formation of unique characteristics in the composition, physical-chemical properties, and quality of the honey produced in the bee colonies existing here. Therefore, the produced honeys are mostly named according to regions (for example, Guba honey, Ismayilli honey, Lerik honey, Nakhchivan honey, etc.). Honey collected from almost every region of Azerbaijan is considered valuable due to its rich biologically active substances, showing unique chemical and biological properties. This chapter describes the physical and chemical characteristics, types, quality indicators of nutrition, and technical indicators, as well as classification according to plant sources and standards of natural honey from Azerbaijan.