Abstract:
Bitter Honey is a type of honey produced from natural forests of Borneo, especially from the Loksado area, South Kalimantan. Honey is produced from wild honey bees with the nectar of flowers feed source forest plants, namely Sungkai (Peronema canescens). The taste of honey is bitter and color is more black than the other, similar to a bitter honey from Pelawan areas in Bangka Belitung. The bitter taste causes the honey is named Bitter Honey as a trade name. At the beginning of this honey is not sold on the market, because of the bitter taste of honey is considered unusual, so that when flowering Sungkai, honey production from natural forests is often wasted because it does not sell in the market. This research want to analisys the quality of the bitter honey from the flowers of Sungkai known as "Bitter Honey" and the content of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic, so that later can assist in the promotion and marketing of this honey. During the production of honey from traditional farmers, only sold just like that, without giving clear information about its quality. Therefore, testing the quality of honey, especially Bitter Honey is expected to make this honey can be sold on the market as there are definite information about the quality and usefulness. The results showed that the quality of honey Sungkai "Bitter Honey" that has not been sold on the market. It can meet the standard quality requirements of honey SNI 01-3545-2013, even in terms of water content better than honey bees forest food resources from other blossoms from the same place (Loksado), because the water content of Bitter honey can enter SNI standard (KA: 16%), whereas the water content of honey from natural forests is usually very high. The test results show the water content of the natural forest honey in the same place, but with other feed sources ( durian flower ), the water level is very high (39%). Another advantage of Bitter Honey is in terms of usefulness, which the results showed that the content of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic is exceeds other honey from Loksado, even surpassing the famous brand of honey that has been widely circulated in the market
