Need help with some calculations on amounts.

[beekeeper]

A study done on Honey crystallization says this :  The paper aims to promote a new method to prevent honey crystallization by using trehalose, a disaccharide found in all types of honey in different proportions. Two batches of samples, a control one and a trehalose-added one, were analyzed. In each sample with the addition of trehalose were added between 0.0701 and 0.087 mmol of trehalose per 100 g honey.

Then later in the article it says this : Control and treated samples weighing 500 g were stored in glass jars in the dark at a temperature of 14-16 °C. In each treated sample, 1.2–1.5 mL of 2% trehalose solution was added.

What I need to know , is how many grams of Trehalose would be added to a Kg of honey , to duplicate this experiment at home.

Trehalose is approximately 4 grams per teaspoon , I need some realistic measures to work with , I come up with 4.8 grams per Kg , does that sound right ?

It doesn't to me.

Thanks for any input.

[beekeeper]

Anybody ?

[Country Boy]

An hour? You expect a response within an hour?

 

The samples were 500 g and you are asking about 1 kg= 1000 g so 2 samples.  1.2-1.5 mL=1.2- 1.5 g were aded to each sample so 2.8 to 3 g must be added to 1 kg.   The liquid added was 2% trehalose so 2.8*.02- 3.0*.02= 0.056- 0.06 g of trehalose.

[CharonY]

Technically one wouldn't convert the volume into weight that way as the density of a any solution would differ slightly from pure water. However, as I presume the recipe is calling for 2% solution (w/v), i.e. weight/volume, the calculation would end up to the same. It is just generally not done that way to avoid errors if other notations are used. So in this case  a 2% (w/v) solution of trehalose would be 20g trehalose per litre or 20 mg/mL.  2.4-3 mL of this solution would therefore contain 48-60 mg trehalose (the difference is due to an error in doubling 1.2).

[beekeeper]

Thank you for your responses , much appreciated.

[studiot]

On 9/26/2021 at 5:59 PM, beekeeper said:

The paper aims to promote a new method to prevent honey crystallization by using trehalose, a disaccharide found in all types of honey in different proportions. Two batches of samples, a control one and a trehalose-added one, were analyzed. In each sample with the addition of trehalose were added between 0.0701 and 0.087 mmol of trehalose per 100 g honey.

First question :

do you really mean between .07 and .087 millimoles per 10g of honey or do you mean moles ?

 

The molecular weight of trehalose is 342.3 g/mole so

 

So this makes the addition either between 0.024 g/100g and 0.03 g/100g

or

between 24 g / 100g and 30g / 100g.

 

Please confirm which was in the article.

[beekeeper]

The highlighted text in my post was copied and pasted from the article , they said mmol per 100 g of honey , so I'm assuming that's what they meant , millimoles.

But there's something amiss here , later in the article they say : Control and treated samples weighing 500 g were stored in glass jars in the dark at a temperature of 14-16 °C. In each treated sample, 1.2–1.5 mL of 2% trehalose solution was added.

But when I found their patent application online , it states 12 - 15 ml of 2% Trehalose solution was added to 1 kg of Honey. so ten times the amount originally stated.

The study was done in Romania and translated to English , so it may be screwed up in the translation . I would expect the Patent application to be right as it is a legal document.

[studiot]

1 hour ago, beekeeper said:

The highlighted text in my post was copied and pasted from the article , they said mmol per 100 g of honey , so I'm assuming that's what they meant , millimoles.

 

But when I found their patent application online , it states 12 - 15 ml of 2% Trehalose solution was added to 1 kg of Honey. so ten times the amount originally stated.

The study was done in Romania and translated to English , so it may be screwed up in the translation . I would expect the Patent application to be right as it is a legal document.

Well, 2% solution means 2g / 100 ml as the measures are given in mls.

So 12 to 15 ml contain

2 x 12/100    to    2 x 15/100 g

or

0.24 to 0.30 g added per kg.

Also since you have confirmed they were working in millimoles (added to 100g of honey)

We have from my previous calculation

0.024  to  0.03 g added to 100g

or

0.24  to  0.3 g per 1000g or 1kg.

 

this is all consistent.

 

So I would suggest this piece suffers in translation

On 9/26/2021 at 5:59 PM, beekeeper said:

hen later in the article it says this : Control and treated samples weighing 500 g were stored in glass jars in the dark at a temperature of 14-16 °C. In each treated sample, 1.2–1.5 mL of 2% trehalose solution was added.

It is not clear if an additional 1.2  to 1.5 ml of solution was added to a 500g jar, in addition to the trehalose treatment already made.

This is what the text literally says.

 

On 9/26/2021 at 5:59 PM, beekeeper said:

What I need to know , is how many grams of Trehalose would be added to a Kg of honey , to duplicate this experiment at home.

Trehalose is approximately 4 grams per teaspoon , I need some realistic measures to work with , I come up with 4.8 grams per Kg , does that sound right ?

 

So I would suggest you need to try 0.24 to 0.3 g /kg.

This would explain why the trehalose was added as a solution, not a quarter gramme 'pinch', which might not dissolve and distribute evenly.

[StringJunky]

Here's the abstract and the full paper is in the link below:

Quote

The paper aims to promote a new method to prevent honey crystallization by using trehalose, a disaccharide found in all types of honey in different proportions. Two batches of samples, a control one and a trehalose-added one, were analyzed. In each sample with the addition of trehalose were added between 0.0701 and 0.087 mmol of trehalose per 100 g honey. The two batches of samples were compared after 12 months of storage under the same conditions. All the physico-chemical parameters of honey samples with the addition of trehalose remained constant during storage, while in the case of the control samples some parameters had small variations (acidity, HMF, diastase activity). The added-trehalose samples maintained their color and retained their initial liquid state, while the control ones began to crystallize from the first month. The texture analyses performed on the two batches of samples showed that the samples with trehalose maintain all the sizes on the Texture Profile Analysis curve (TPA), while the control samples without trehalose underwent changes, due to the crystallization of glucose. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed the absence of crystallization process in trehalose-added honey samples at a wide range of temperatures, including also normal storage temperatures. Thus, the addition of trehalose prevented the crystallization process, honey maintaining its liquid state, its texture and its initial color as well.

Industrial relevance
The results of the determinations carried out with the addition of trehalose are so far the most advanced ones, easy to use and available to producers. The addition can be made by any manufacturer, at the place of production, does not require special equipment, a lot of work and special knowledge to apply. It has the advantage that storage temperature does not require to be carefully monitored, knowing that its low variations can make crystals appear. The addition of trehalose solution is done at usual temperature, so that the enzymatic activity of the product is not affected as it happens in the case of heating honey to dissolve the formed crystals.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1466856420304276#:~:text=A new method for preventing honey crystallization is related.&text=The addition of trehalose is used to prevent crystallization.&text=Physical-chemical%2C microbiological%2C color,the efficiency of the method.&text=It is a simple and easy method to apply for beekeepers.

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by StringJunky

[beekeeper]

12 hours ago, studiot said:

Well, 2% solution means 2g / 100 ml as the measures are given in mls.

So 12 to 15 ml contain

2 x 12/100    to    2 x 15/100 g

or

0.24 to 0.30 g added per kg.

Also since you have confirmed they were working in millimoles (added to 100g of honey)

We have from my previous calculation

0.024  to  0.03 g added to 100g

or

0.24  to  0.3 g per 1000g or 1kg.

 

this is all consistent.

 

So I would suggest this piece suffers in translation

It is not clear if an additional 1.2  to 1.5 ml of solution was added to a 500g jar, in addition to the trehalose treatment already made.

This is what the text literally says.

 

 

So I would suggest you need to try 0.24 to 0.3 g /kg.

This would explain why the trehalose was added as a solution, not a quarter gramme 'pinch', which might not dissolve and distribute evenly.

Thank you , .3 g/kg it is then.

 Your input is greatly appreciated.

[studiot]

10 hours ago, StringJunky said:

Here's the abstract and the full paper is in the link below:

 

Well spotted, the full paper is a 3.6MB PDF  - not to bad, and better it's free. +1

I have sent a copy to my friend, who is chair of the Exmoor Beekeepers Association, for comment.

 

[CharonY]

Quote

Control and treated samples weighing 500 g were stored in glass jars in the dark at a temperature of 14-16 °C. In each treated sample, 1.2–1.5 mL of 2% trehalose solution was added, with a slight and brief mixing, so that the water content does not exceed 19% in any honey sample.

That part is apparently from the methods section. I.e. while the calculations all indicate the same total weight of trehalose are consistent, the sugar was added as solution rather than as solid.

[beekeeper]

6 hours ago, studiot said:

Well spotted, the full paper is a 3.6MB PDF  - not to bad, and better it's free. +1

I have sent a copy to my friend, who is chair of the Exmoor Beekeepers Association, for comment.

 

I'd love to here your friends comment .

It does seem to work though , I added 12 grams of Trehalose as a solution ,  to a liter of honey that had been crystallized earlier and gently heated to bring it to a liquid again , I did one control batch as well , the one with the added Trehalose is showing no signs of crystallization , the control batch is almost solid again , this was in a period of two weeks. 

I used Canola honey which is known to crystallize very rapidly , the farms around me grow Canola every four years or so , and it makes it hard to sell when if it's not liquid.

At 12 grams per liter it is not financially feasible though , that's why I've been trying to determine the proper amounts.

I also don't want to alter the honey too much either , I want to keep it as natural as possible , 1/2 gram or so per liter shouldn't be too bad as it is found in varying amounts in all honey anyway.

Thanks again for all the help.