The use of ultrafiltration membrane treated honey in food processing

Sometimes trouble occurs when honey is used as an ingredient in food processing ; for instance, poor rising during the manufacture of Castilla, and sponge cake employing honey as an ingredient, sediment formation on mixing honey with fruit juices, and contamination of microorganisms. In order to determine the causes we studied a) poor rising of Castilla by using various kinds of honey with different diastase activity and b) sediment formation by mixing juice with various kinds of honey with different concentration of water-soluble proteins. We also investigated whether ultrafiltration treatment of honey would improve its quality. An ultrafiltration membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 10,000 was used. The rising ratio of Castilla with honey against one without honey decreased with in creasing diastase activity. Whereas poor rising did not occur when honey obtained from the ultrafiltration membrane treatment was added. When honey is mixed with lemon, grape and apple juices, the amounts of sediment increased in proportion to the content of watersoluble proteins. But no sediment was formed in mixing juice with honey treated with the membrane. Microorganisms were completely removed by the ultrafiltration membrane treatment. This suggests that honey treated by ultrafiltration is a safe ingredient for food processing. In conclusion, the ultrafiltration improves the quality of honey and provides honey as a safe ingredient in food processing. (Received Oct.12,1998 ; Accepted, Jan,5.1999)