Impact of Storage Duration and Container Materials on Hydroxy Methyl Furfural Levels in Indonesian Trigona Honey

Hydroxymethyl Furfural (HMF) is a six-carbon heterocyclic organic compound containing aldehyde and alcohol functional groups. It is formed from reducing sugars when heated through the Maillard reaction. HMF is widely recognized as an indicator of honey quality, reflecting the time and type of storage container used. In this study, we analyzed HMF content to investigate the effects of different storage container types and durations on HMF levels in honey. The analysis was conducted using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with the following parameters: a mobile phase of acetonitrile:water in a 10:90 ratio, a stationary phase of octadecylsilane (C18), a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and a UV detector set to 280 nm. The results showed an increase in HMF content during the storage process, with variations depending on the container type and the storage duration. The highest HMF level recorded was 47.7931 μg/g in honey stored in transparent glass bottles for 8 months. These findings indicate that both the container type and the storage duration significantly influence HMF accumulation in honey, making it an important parameter for evaluating honey quality.