QUALITY OF HONEY FROM ARGENTINA: STUDY OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND TRACE ELEMENTS.

Content of P, Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ca. Mg, Na and K trace elements, as well as moisture, pH, free acidity, lactone, reducing sugar, sucrose, diastase activity, ashes and hidroximethylfurfural, were analyzed in 38 samples of natural honey from different places of the centre of Argentina. The mean values for element content were (in µg g -1 ): P: 28.80; Fe: 3.91; Al: 2.57; Mn: 0.33; Zn: 1.08; Cu: 0.19; Ca: 56.35; Mg: 23.38; Na: 25.56; K: 482.75. Pr was used as an internal standard in order to evaluate the recovery percentage of the trace elements.