Composition and Physicochemical Properties of TH
Honey is primarily composed of fructose (38%), glucose (31%), and other sugars. It contains more than 180 substances, including amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes (26–28). The composition varies according to its floral source and origin (11). TH has a dark brown appearance. It has a pH of 3.55–4.00 and a specific gravity of 1.335 (29). The low pH is similar to Manuka honey (pH 3.2–4.21) (21,25). TH is more acidic than other local Malaysian honeys, such as Kelulut Hitam, Kelulut Putih, and Gelam (29). This characteristic makes TH effective against several pathogenic microorganisms (21,29). The concentration of 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural (HMF) in TH is greater than in other Malaysian honeys (30). A comparison of the physicochemical characteristics of TH (29) and Manuka (31) honey is presented in Table 1.