Honey and honeydew are natural foods with a very complex composition that contain both, organic and inorganic ingredients. Regardless of the progress of the industry, it can't be replaced by some production process.The quality of honey varies from year to year, and bees can never produce the same honey and honeydew. Weather conditions, grazing, treatment of bees, proximity to industry, roads, etc., greatly affect the quality of the obtained honey. Although minerals and heavy metals are minor constituents of honey, they play a vital role in determining its quality.The goal of the research is to assess the qualitative status of honey based on the content of contaminants, heavy metals from the area of the Tuzla Canton.The research was conducted on 30 (thirty) honey samples. The samples were collected in the period September/October 2022 and constitute the grazing of the specified year.In the samples that were the subject of research, As and Cd did not exceed the limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.009 mg/kg). Current regulations does not define MRL’s for these two metals. As for the quantified amount of lead (Pb), it was the same in 12 samples and in 11 samples there was an evident deviation from the MRL. The measured lead (Pb), values range from 0.06 to 5.34 mg/kg.The quality of bee products from the aspect of contamination with heavy metals can serve as bioindicator of environmental pollution, that is, as an indicator of the level of good beekeeping practices. KEYWORDS:honey; honeydew; heavy metals; Tuzla canton

The aim of the research is to assess the microbiological correctness and quality of sheep's milk, which is primarily used as a raw material for the production of Travnik - Vlasic cheese, and originates from the Vlasic - Travnik area, with an emphasis on assessing its compliance with the requirements of the current legislation for raw milk. In general, Travnik - Vlasic cheese is produced, according to the original technology, from unpasteurized milk, and therefore the purity of the raw material is extremely important. The samples were collected during the first months of lactation, March and April 2023, from 8 primary producers from the Vlasic - Travnik area, and were analyzed for the total number of bacteria and all samples meet the criteria of the regulations.

Medicinal plants have become an increasing subject of interest worldwide due to the large amount of biologically active substances that have potential beneficial health properties. One of the more interesting popular medicinal plants is hawthorn (Crataegusspp.), a deciduous branched shrub that is increasingly used for health purposes. Various parts of this plant, including berries, flowers and leaves, are rich in nutrients and beneficial bioactive compounds that are effective in the treatment of numerous diseases. Honey is a natural sweetener produced by bees from plant secretions. Known for its nutritional and medicinal values, it gives strength to the body, which is why it is indispensable in the human diet. The combination of these two ingredients represents a significant source of vitamins and minerals in daily use, but also for use in various pharmaceutical and medical purpose. Taking into account all of the above, the aim of the work is to test samples of the mixture of honey and hawthorn in different proportions and determine the physical and chemical characteristics: pH value, electrical conductivity, refractive index, viscosity, water activity, HMF, DPPH. Based on the analysis, appropriate conclusions will be drawn and more information will be obtained about their quality and possible use as a food supplement. On the basis of the conducted analyses, it can be concluded that the parameter values are within the permitted limits defined by the Rulebook (Official Gazette Bosnia and Herzegovina No. 37/09). The analysis of the mentioned parameters showed that the chemical composition of the sample plays a major role in the value of the measurement results, and that Sample III has the best antioxidant properties. KEYWORDS:physicochemical characteristics; honey; hawthorn (Crataegus spp.);mixture; food suplement