Quality assessment of Portuguese monofloral honeys. Physicochemical parameters as tools in botanical source differentiation

Chemical markers of a rare honey from the traditional spice plant Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarié, via integrated GC-MS and LC-MS approaches

The precious medicinal plant, Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarié, is the nectariferous plant from which the rare Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarié honey (ATH) is produced. Presently, chemical markers for authentication of this honey are not available due to the lack of data on its chemical composition. Here, we analyzed the volatile components and their odor activity values (OAVs), which revealed that the unique aroma was mildly flowery and fruity, accompanied by subtle sweet and fresh undertones. Since non-volatile chemicals are more reliable markers for routine authentication, we used a metabolomic approach combined with NMR-based identification to find and confirm a suitable compound to unambiguously distinguish ATH from other honeys. Isorhamnetin 3-O-neohesperidoside ranged from 3.62 to 9.38 mg/kg in ATH and was absent in the other tested honeys. In sum, the study uncovered unique chemical characteristics of ATH that will be helpful to control its quality.

Comprehensive study of volatile compounds of rare Leucosceptrum canum Smith honey: Aroma profiling and characteristic compound screening via GC-MS and GC-MS/MS

Monofloral honeys are highly valued for their unique flavors and potential health benefits. In this study, the aromatic attributes of rare Leucosceptrum canum Smith honey (LCH) were characterized by GC-MS coupled with GC-MS/MS. Based on their odor contribution rates (OCRs), linalool (74.22%), 3-methyl-1-butanol (18.19%), benzeneacetaldehyde (1.31%) and lilac aldehyde B (2.78%) were largely responsible for the unique and complex flavor of LCH - flowery, spicy, sweet, fruity and fresh. Compared to other tested honeys, linalool (0.18 mg/kg), which has known antibacterial properties, was higher in LCH. However, it was not the main antibacterial compound in LCH, suggesting as of now unknown antibacterial compounds. This study provides the first aromatic profile of LCH, which will be useful for the authentication of LCH and for uncovering the mechanisms behind its perceived health benefits.

Volatile markers as a reliable alternative for the correct classification of citrus monofloral honey

The pollen analysis to classify monofloral honey is an unresolved challenge specially when the pollen is under-represented as the case of citrus honey. Thus, this study assesses the validity of the volatile fraction to differentiate types of honey, with special attention to markers compounds of citrus honey that could permit their distinction. Unsupervised analysis (PCA and HCA) showed that the volatile fraction of honey containing Citrus sp. pollen, undoubtedly differentiates it from other types of honey. An OPLS model focused on citrus honey selected 5 volatile compounds (of the 123 found in all samples by GC-MS) as significant predictors of the currently used value of methyl anthranilate obtained by HPLC. The joint detection of 4 lilac-aldehydes and the volatile methyl-anthranilate has the advantage of providing more precise information. Therefore, it could be proposed as a consistent marker to ensure the correct classification of citrus honey, fostering its labelling reliability.

Insight into the Recent Application of Chemometrics in Quality Analysis and Characterization of Bee Honey during Processing and Storage

The application of chemometrics, a widely used science in food studies (and not only food studies) has begun to increase in importance with chemometrics being a very powerful tool in analyzing large numbers of results. In the case of honey, chemometrics is usually used for assessing honey authenticity and quality control, combined with well-established analytical methods. Research related to investigation of the quality changes in honey due to modifications after processing and storage is rare, with a visibly increasing tendency in the last decade (and concentrated on investigating novel methods to preserve the honey quality, such as ultrasound or high-pressure treatment). This review presents the evolution in the last few years in using chemometrics in analyzing honey quality during processing and storage. The advantages of using chemometrics in assessing honey quality during storage and processing are presented, together with the main characteristics of some well-known chemometric methods. Chemometrics prove to be a successful tool to differentiate honey samples based on changes of characteristics during storage and processing.

Italian Consumer Preferences for Eucalyptus Honey: An Exploratory Study

The growing concern for environmental issues has underlined the need to promote sustainable consumption and production. Taking into consideration the three pillars of sustainability, honey should be seen as an important food from a sustainability perspective. Among honey varieties, the eucalyptus one is becoming increasingly popular with people for its aroma and the plant’s therapeutic properties. However, the beekeeping sector in Italy does not yet have sufficient knowledge and understanding of consumer needs with a view to increasing earnings. This paper aimed to analyze the drivers that make people pick eucalyptus honey and tries to investigate which extrinsic and intrinsic quality attributes affect consumer behavior. Data came from an online survey of 403 Italian honey consumers. An ordered Probit model was applied. The results show that consumers consider the taste, viscosity, therapeutic properties, brand reputation, variety, geographical indication, Italian origin, and organic certification of honey as the most important factors that drive the consumption of eucalyptus honey. The findings of the study should help the beekeepers and provide them with the right tools of communication, such as quality or sustainability labeling, thereby increasing their competitiveness.