CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the study

The common stingless bees or Kelulut species that found in Malaysia are
Heterotrigona Itama and Geniotrigona thoracica. These stingless bees’ species
produce its honey and store it in the pots. It is different to the native bees that kept
the honey in the comb. In the Kelulut honey contain higher micronutrient that contain
with antioxidant rather than native bees (Biluca et al, 2016). The essence in the
Kelulut honey can be used as a natural resources for traditional healing agent.
According to Kelly et al (2014), it can increase consumers’ demands for the stingless
bees honey and make the market price of the stingless bees’ honey become higher.

Besides content micronutrient, the Kelulut honey also content higher moisture
than native bees (Ranneh et al, 2018). It is because the moisture of the honey
depends on the surrounding climates. When the humidity surrounding is higher, the
honey will be absorb the water. The excess of water can make honey fermented.
The fermentation of Kelulut honey can occur when the microbial growth in the
excess water in the Kelulut honey. Due to that, the moisture of the Kelulut honey
must be minimize to reduce the rate of fermentation in Kelulut honey.

The honey moisture can be reduced by using several method. The methods
that commonly used are heat treatment, dehumidification, dewatering and vacuum
drying. By using these method, the water content can be reduced below 20%
depending on the duration of the process.

In this research project proposed to develop the evaporate water content in

the Kelulut honey system. With this project, this evaporating system can be reduced
the moisture of the Kelulut honey. In the beginning of this project, the process plant
will be set up to determine the imperfection that will be happen in this project later.
The water content in the Kelulut honey will evaporate by control the temperature of
the water bath that increase the Kelulut honey temperature in the glass container. To
determine the water content in the Kelulut honey, the manual experiment will be
conducted by using the refractometer.
1.1 Problem Statement

In essence, every Kelulut honey contain moisture, ash, carbohydrate, protein,

vitamin C, phenolic content and flavonoid content (Ranneh et al, 2018). It is because
the stingless bees use the nectar from flowers or from secretions from plants to
make the honey. However, every hive in Kelulut honey contain varies percentage of
ingredient. It is because the environment of the hive affect the percentage of
ingredient in the honey.

The moisture of honey that may be varies according to the surrounding. It is

because the honey will be absorb the moisture when bring into the high humidity.
The high amount of water in the Kelulut honey can make the honey ferment. It is
because the several of yeast present such as osmophilic yeast in the honey can
create the more absence of air and make alcohol. The honey will become sour-
sweet taste (Chuttong et al 2015) and give the watery texture with small bubbles or
foaming when the acetic acid and alcohol will be break down by the alcohol.(Camara
and Laux, 2010).

In Malaysia, the warm and humid climate will affect the moisture of the honey.
Especially when the rain session, the humidity of the surrounding will increase. As a
result, the water content in the honey is high. Due to that, the honey will fermented
and then will reduced the shelf life of the honey.

1.2 Objectives of the study

The major objective of this study is to develop the evaporative water content in the
Kelulut honey system that can reduce the amount of moisture in the stingless bees
honey system. The other objectives that need to be achieved are:

1. To identify the water content in the stingless bees honey before the process
evaporation system and after the process evaporation system.
2. To control the level in the honey and control the temperature of the water.
3. To design the evaporative system for stingless bees honey using LabVIEW.
4. To reduce the water content in the stingless bees honey.
1.3 Significant of the study

The aim of this research project can improve the quality of the Kelulut honey
by reduced the water content in the Kelulut honey. Usually, the beekeeper take the
honey from the bee pots and put the honey in the refrigerator to keep the honey
fresh. However, the water content in the honey cannot be eliminate.

In this research needs to be carried out because it can help the beekeeper
increase their income by improve the quality of the honey. To achieve the standard
of quality of honey, the water content must be reduced. It is because it can avoid the
fermentation of the honey. The fermentation can cause the spoil of honey and
change the taste and texture of honey. Due to that, the evaporate water content in
Kelulut honey system must be develop.
1.4 Organizational thesis

This research project has five chapters. All chapters are summarize as follows in this
thesis.

In chapter one, it discuss about the introduction of the project which is

evaporate water content in the Kelulut honey. It consist of problem statement that
had been recognized which is the vital factor of doing this project to overcome the
problem. The objectives of the research project also been describe in chapter one as
the aim of this project. Significant of the study also has been discussed in the
chapter one to identify the advantages of the research project.

In chapter two, it consist of literature review of the research project. It

describes on several previous studies that have been done by researchers according
to this project.

Chapter 3 provide the methodology that research plan of the project. In this
chapter will include the overview of the project, workflow of the project and a Gantt
chart as the reference for the time frame of this project to make sure the project will
be finished according the plan.

Chapter 4 which is result and discussion that will explained the expected
result of this project.

In chapter 5, it will be explained about the conclusion of this project that

conducted which is evaporate water content in the Kelulut honey.