Honey is a functional, honeybee product with a useful role in human nutrition and several health benefits. Greece is a Mediterranean region with several types of monofloral honey. Today, Greek honey has acquired an important position in national and international markets. Due to this increased industrialization and globalization, quality control is a necessity. Mislabeling constitutes one of the most notable types of fraudulence, while most consumers are looking for authentic honey. Moreover, producers and suppliers are searching for rapid and analytical methodologies to secure Greek honey in a competitive environment. In this entry, the classical (melissopalynological, physicochemical) and analytical (chromatographic, spectrometric, and spectroscopic) methods for the standardization of the botanical origin of Greek honey will be described.
Scientific Name | Flowering Period | Nectar | Pollen | Honeydew | Honey Name | Commercially Widespread |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blossom Honeys | ||||||
Arbutus unedo L. | November–December | 3 * | 2 | - | Strawberry tree | + ** |
Castanea sativa Miller | June | 2–3 | 3 | 1–2 | Chestnut | ++ |
Ceratonia siliqua L. | September–October | 3 | 3 | 2 | Carob | + |
Citrus spp. | March–April | 3 | 2 | - | Citrus, orange etc. | ++ |
Erica arborea L. | October–November | 2–3 | 2–3 | - | Spring Heather | ++ |
Erica manipuliflora Salisb. | March | 3 | 2–3 | - | Autumn Heather | ++ |
Eucalyptus spp. | May–July | 2–3 | 2–3 | - | Eucalyptus | + |
Gossypium hirsutum L. | July–September | - | - | Cotton | ++ | |
Helianthis annuus L. | June–August | 2–3 | 2–3 | - | Sunflower | + |
Paliurus spina-christi Miller | May–June | 2–3 | 2 | - | Jerusalem thorn | + |
Phlomis spp. | 2–3 | - | - | Jerusalem sage | + | |
Pimpinella anisum L. | 1–2 | 1–2 | - | Anise | + | |
Polygonum aviculare L. | July–August | 2 | 2 | - | Common knotweed | + |
Salvia officinalis L. | 2–3 | 2 | - | Sage | + | |
Thymbra capitata L. | June–July | 2–3 | 2 | - | Thyme | +++ |
Honeydew Honeys | ||||||
Abies cephalonica Link. | May–July | - | - | 3 | Fir | ++ |
Pinus spp. | March–April, June–August, September–October | - | - | 3 | Pine | +++ |
Quercus spp. | - | 3 | 3 | Oak | + |
Analytical Technique | Abbreviation | Main Analytes and Parameters |
---|---|---|
Melissopalynological and Physicochemical techniques | ||
Optical microscopy | OM | Pollen analysis |
Scanning Electron Microscope | SEM | |
Conductimetry | Electrical conductivity | |
Refractometer | Moisture | |
Colorimetry-Photometry | Diastase (Heat abuse) | |
Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (Heat abuse) | ||
Potentiometry | Acidity | |
International commission on Illumination | CIE | Lightness, color, hue |
Viscometer | Rheological properties | |
pH-meter | pH | |
Chromatographic techniques | ||
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Diode-Array Detector | HPLC-DAD | Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) |
Phenolics | ||
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Refractive Index Detector | HPLC-RID | Sugars |
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Fluorescence Detector | HPLC-FS | Amino acids |
Phenolics | ||
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Pulsed Amperometric Detector | HPLC-PAD | Sugars |
High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography | HPTLC | Phenolics |
Non-volatile components | ||
Sugars and/or fructose/glucose ratio | ||
Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) | ||
Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry | LC-MS | Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) |
Phenolics | ||
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry | GC-MS | Volatiles |
Semi-volatiles | ||
Spectroscopic techniques | ||
Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy | UV–Vis | Spectrum of phenolics |
Raman Spectroscopy | Raman | Sugars spectra and minor components |
Fourier-Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy | FT-MIR | Sugars spectra and minor components |
Fourier-Transform Near-Infrared Spectroscopy | FT-NIR | Sugars spectra and minor components |
Fluorescence Spectroscopy | FS | Spectra of amino acids, phenolics, Maillard reaction by-products |
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance | NMR | Sugars, untargeted and targeted screening |
Other techniques | ||
Isotope-Ration Mass Spectrometry | IRMS | Isotope ration of H, C, N, S, and/or 13C ratios |
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry | ICP-MS | Chemical elements |
This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/encyclopedia1040099