Automated Aroma and Flavor Profiling of Honey Using High-Capacity Sorptive Extraction

The study aimed to examine the quality of honey from the Middle Podrinje area (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The research included a total of 21 samples of honey from the Middle Podrinje area: 12 samples of honey florals (municipalities of Srebrenica and Milići), 9 samples of acacia honey (municipalities of Zvornik and Bratunac). Physico-chemical parameters were determined as the main composition criteria for quality assessment in honey samples: mass fraction of water, total acidity, electrical conductivity, and ash. Samples of honey florals are of poorer quality compared to acacia honey, two samples had values of water content and acidity above the values prescribed by the Regulation. Statistical analysis showed that there is a statistically significant difference between the arithmetic means of the water content for floral honey, the electrical conductivity of acacia honey, and the free acid content for both types of honey. Honey samples that met the criteria prescribed by the Regulation were sensory evaluated by experienced analysts. Two samples of floral honey that did not meet the criteria prescribed by the Regulation were not sensory evaluated. Based on sensory analysis, samples of floral honey from the municipality of Milići had better sensory characteristics compared to the same type of honey from the municipality of Srebrenica. Acacia honey from the municipality of Zvornik was rated better than honey from the municipality of Bratunac.

Preparation of stir cake sorptive extraction based on polymeric ionic liquid for the enrichment of benzimidazole anthelmintics in water, honey and milk samples

The Ukrainian market sells honey of different botanical origin, there are at least 30 titles (buckwheat, locust tree, rapeseed, sunflower, clover, lime tree and others). Today, bee honey is enough to meet the needs of a wide range of consumers. However, the attractive price of a product often leads to the appearance of counterfeit or poor-quality honey. Therefore, when it is implemented in various trading networks, it is necessary to carry out an assessment of quality, and to prevent the occurrence of counterfeit to the consumer. The purpose of the work is to investigate the honey of various botanical origin by physical and chemical indices. The task of the study is to establish the conformity of the investigated samples of honey of different botanical origin to the requirements of the current DSTU 4497:2005 Natural honey. Technical conditions for physical and chemical indicators. Materials for research were selected samples of honey of different botanical origin: flower, sunflower, acacia, buckwheat and grass. Tests of honey samples for research were conducted according to DSTU 4497: 2005 Natural honey. Technical conditions. The investigated honey samples of color and other organoleptic parameters corresponded to the current standard. Thus, the flavor was specific, pleasant, without foreign smells, well pronounced, delicate, depending on the botanical origin of honey. The taste of samples of honey of different botanical origin was sweet, tender, pleasant, irritating the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, without foreign flavors. By consistency, samples of honey were, in most cases, liquid and viscous. Symptoms of fermentation and mechanical impurities are not established. According to physico-chemical parameters, samples of honey of different botanical origin corresponded to those specified in DSTU 4497: 2005 Natural honey. Technical conditions. At the same time, in the sample of the buckwheat honey, the indicator of the mass fraction of sucrose was 6,44 ± 0,12 %, which is 1,07 % and 2,9 % higher than the requirements of the current standard for honey 1 and higher the brand. The content of sucrose characterizes honey from the standpoint of its maturity, benignity and may be one of the indicators of botanical origin. The increased rate of sucrose may contribute to the implementation of insufficiently mature, counterfeit sugar, or sugar honey. For falsification of honey by sucrose, its organoleptic properties deteriorate, diastase activity decreases, mineral content and invert sugar decreases, and the sucrose content rises. We believe that the investigated honey samples are obtained due to insufficient maturation. In our study, based on the values of hydroxymethylfurfural content, only samples of acacia honey and honey from herbs corresponded to the higher grade, the rest – to the first. According to the electrical conductivity only samples of flower honey and honey from different herbs responded to the highest grade, the rest – to the first. According to the values of proline content, honey samples from buckwheat and herbs corresponded to the higher grade of the others for the first.

The aroma and taste of honey are very important quality characteristics. However, the objective measurement of changes in aroma and flavor is more difficult because a large number of different substances (alcohols, aldehydes, organic acids and esters) that contribute to them are unstable components and evaporate easily at temperatures above 35˚C. The aim of this study was qualitative evaluation of 9 organic honey samples preserved for two years in different conditions. To determine their quality, sensorial and HMF analyses were performed at the University Honey Laboratory. HMF was determined using the Harmonised Methods of the International Honey Commission. The analyses were made on 9 freshly extracted honey samples and after two years these analyses were repeated for the same samples stored at 22°C and 30°C. Results showed that storage at 22°C caused slight increase in HMF values, reduction of aroma and taste and also slight darkening of the color. However, storage at 30°C shows that 7 of the 9 analyzed samples differed significantly in aroma and taste with the same fresh samples. High temperature had caused almost total elimination of aroma, taste and darkness to all samples. This may have come by evaporation of important organic elements in the composition of honey thus influencing his qualities and darkening of it. Related to HMF, results show that storage of honeys at 30°C for more than two years increases the amount of HMF by exceeding the allowed limit (40 mg/Kg). The values of HMF for fresh honey samples ranged between 0.484-8.938 mg/kg, this ensures that honey is fresh and has not been overheated during processing. For the same preserved honey samples at 30°C the values of HMF ranged between 23.19-47.2 mg/kg, this ensures that honey storage for more than 2 years will have impact on addition of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) due to the large evaporation of fructose. As can be seen from the above results, changes in aroma and taste, in addition to simple loss by evaporation, are also made by heat. HMF content of honey samples has been affected significantly from storage time and conditions. Careless storage of honey could affect its quality, thus by consuming the honey within a year and by providing proper storage conditions, all quality criteria remain consistent.

Quality characterization of artisanal and retail Turkish blossom honeys: Determination of physicochemical, microbiological, bioactive properties and aroma profile

Consumption of honey has increased in recent years. This included trigona honey as a new market that is developing. This research was conducted to (1) identify the consumption patterns for Indonesian honey, and (2) identify the sensory attributes of honey considered ideal by consumers which influence consumer acceptance and satisfaction. There were 2 stages of activity in this study, including a consumption online survey by 225 respondents and a sensory testing of honey samples using the CATA (check-all-that-apply) method involving 64 untrained panelists. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS and XLSTAT 2022 software. There were 4 honey samples used in this study: 2 Apis bee honey samples and 2 trigona honey samples. The study showed that the consumption pattern of Indonesian honey consumers is influenced by the consumers’ age and income. Health benefits, brand awareness, and taste of honey were the important factors in consumer behavior. Apis bee honeys were perceived as the ideal honey by consumers as they were very familiar with the taste. The sweet aroma, sweet aftertaste, caramel flavor, and viscous attributes of Apis bee honey were the attributes that the consumers like. The floral flavor and fruity aroma found in trigona honey were appealing. However, the strong sour aroma, taste, and aftertaste found in trigona honeys decrease the Indonesian consumers liking.

Background: Three tetracycline antibiotics (TCs), tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and chlortetracycline (CTC), were extensively employed in human, veterinary medicine as well as feed additives to treat and prevent bacterial infections. Tetracycline antibiotics are widespectrum antibiotics active versus a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as a range of organisms such as mycoplasma and chlamydia. As mentioned above, these drugs stay as residues in animals, fish, and birds are harmful to humans at quite low levels. Thus, it is important to develop an effective alternative procedure for the detection of tetracycline compounds. Methods: An electrochemical sensor based on the electrocatalytic activity of commercial screen-printed graphene electrode for sensitive detection of tetracycline was presented. The electrochemical behaviors of tetracycline on graphene screen-printed carbon electrodes (GRSPCEs) were researched by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The use of the commercially disposable graphene modified screen-printed carbon electrode for milk and honey sample assays obtained satisfactory results, which made it an encouraging alternative in routine sensing applications. Results: This study focuses the first application of GR modified SPCE as voltammetric sensors for the detection and quantification of TC. The large advantages of this type of sensor system are associated with their modest cost, potential portability, the simplicity of operation, reliability, and the compact detector arrangement containing the working electrode, auxiliary and reference electrodes. This sensor features speedy experimentation time, well suitability for field trace TC analysis and an admissible sensor lifetime. This proposed electrochemical approach was successfully adapted to determine the TC in honey and milk samples. Conclusions: The results suggest that the method developed for the determination of TC using GR modified SPCE is practicable for the sensing of the antibiotic at 0.08 M levels with really good precision. This approach allows avoiding the electrode fouling that is noticed when evaluating this class of compound. The process, therefore, is very convenient for the daily routine assessment of tetracycline antibiotics. The proposed voltammetric approach is highly competitive for the detection of these antibiotics in foods, particularly as a screening method. It was not necessary to use solid phase extraction, we usually employ for a preliminary separation when assaying milk and honey samples. Keywords: Antibiotic, determination, honey, milk, tetracycline, voltammetry.

Stingless bee honey is one of the Malaysian honeys that has many benefits especially medically, due to the presence of enormous active phytochemical compounds. The active compounds in the honey vary depending on its geographical origin, especially the environmental conditions of the plant nectar. This study aims to analyze and compare the antioxidant, antibacterial and antidiabetic activities of stingless bee honey from different areas in Malaysia. The sample stingless bees’ honeys were obtained from Kulim, Kedah (honey sample 1), Tanjung Malim, Perak (honey sample 2) and Kuala Selangor, Selangor (honey sample 3). The methods used for the analysis were DPPH free radical scavenging, Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay and alpha-amylase inhibition assay for the respective activities. An analysis of gallic acid content of the stingless bee’s honeys were also performed using high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC). Tukey’s multiple comparison test was used for statistical analysis. The results indicated that honey sample 2 exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 89.04 ± 0.83 mg/mL, whilst honey sample 3 showed the highest inhibition capability on both E. coli and S. aureus at 16.33 ± 3.06 mm and 22.67 ± 0.58 mm respectively as compared to the other honey samples. Honey sample 3 also showed the highest inhibition against alpha amylase with an IC50 value of at 15.80 ug/mL. The gallic acid content of honey sample 3 also the highest at 39.79 ug/mL. As a conclusion, honey sample 3 originated from Kuala Selangor, Selangor has better antibacterial and anti-alpha amylase activities. Meanwhile, honey sample 2 originated from Tanjung Malim, Perak has better antioxidant properties.

The purpose of the work was to compare the quality of selected honey available on the Polish market, including traditional (rape, lime and meadow and marsh honey) and non-traditional honey (lime, buckwheat, and honeydew honey from coniferous honeydew). Parameters such as electrical conductivity, color, pH, acidity, water, hydroxymethylfurfural, total phenols content, and ability to deactivate ABTS cation radicals were determined. The profile of aroma compounds was carried out by GC-MS technique, and determination of sugars was performed by HPLC. It was found that all tested honey met standards according to European law requirements. Semi-quantitative analysis of volatile compounds showed that all honey samples contain numerous volatiles (in buckwheat honey there were 67 compounds, and in honeydew honey from coniferous honeydew, only 40 compounds). Characteristic volatile compounds of each aroma profile were described e.g., benzaldehyde, acetone, 2-methyl-butanal, nonanal, benzyl alcohol were found in rape honey aroma, and furfural, isovaleric acid, ethanol, delta-valerolactone, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methyl-butanoic acid, and phenylacetaldehyde in buckwheat honey aroma. The total content of volatiles was the highest in buckwheat honey (199.62 µg/kg), and in traditional lime honey (195.17 µg/kg). The lowest total content of volatile substances was established in non-traditional lime honey (73.20 µg/kg) and in rape honey (39.52 µg/kg).

The aim of the study is to substantiate descriptive descriptors of the aroma of monofloral angelica ho-ney and to develop a methodology for descriptor analysis of the aroma. The objects of the study are six samples of angelica honey (collected in 2023) from different regions of Kuzbass, preliminarily identified by pollen analysis. General approaches to assessing the aroma of honeys during their identification are analyzed, distinctive features of the aroma of different types of honey are revealed. National standards regulating the requirements for the organoleptic assessment of honey quality are considered, basic terms for assessing the aroma of honey are provided. Honey aroma is considered as an essential criterion in identifying the species of honey, detecting counterfeiting and a determining indicator in product certification and examination of the quality and safety of honey. The absence of aroma characteristics for angelica honey in the current regulatory documents is noted. When performing the work, organoleptic methods of analysis were used in accordance with the requirements of GOST ISO 5492-2014, GOST ISO 13299-2015. As a result, a methodology for determining the aroma of angelica honey was developed. The optimal quantitative ratios of honey and distilled water, the temperature of the water during aroma tests were determined. Based on the obtained results of sample tests, a scale of aroma descriptors for identifying angelica honey was proposed: the aroma of angelica, umbellate, spicy, caramel, forest herbs, sweet and peppery. The selected descriptors are dominant, which is important for assessing the aroma of monofloral angelica ho¬ney. The aroma determination methodology can find practical application in conducting a qualitative sensory assessment of honeys for which there are no standardized aroma characteristics in the current regulatory documents.

The confirmation of honey authenticity is an ongoing challenge. We investigated new authenticity markers (13 macro and trace elements, total phenolic (TP) content, antioxidant capacity) in 62 unifloral and multifloral honeys from Croatia as loadings for principal component analysis (PCA), taking into account the spatial, temporal and production practice variation and combining them with traditional tools for authentication of the botanical origin (melissopalynological, sensory and physicochemical analyses). PCA as a chemometric tool was compliant with basic statistical testing results (Mann–Whitney U test) figuring Ba and Mn, and also pointed to TP, antioxidant capacity parameters, Ca, K and Mg (PC1) as useful markers for discriminating chestnut honey from other unifloral and multifloral honeys. The first PC discerned deciduous honeydew honey sample fairly from nectar honey samples. Although some elements showed regional, seasonal and production practice differences, PCA was not able to discriminate between all groups clearly. Our nutritional assessment based on a calculation of the contribution to the Dietary Reference Value pinpointed deciduous honeydew honey, savory and chestnut honey with the highest daily mineral intake relevance among seven honey types.

A well-developed immune system of the organism, which, among other things, arises as a result of a healthy lifestyle, is a prerequisite for a healthy and quality life. Natural food products, primarily honey and other bee products, greatly contribute to the proper development of the body's immune response to the harmful effects of foreign substances. Honey and other bee products are a valuable and rich source of biologically active substances. They have been used for centuries in traditional medicine, due to their wide range of antibacterial, antiradical, antioxidant and anticancer effects, as well as their supportive effect in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Consumption of honey contributes to the improvement of immunity and enriches the human diet with many valuable nutrients and bioactive substances. Bioactive substances, including polyphenols, are organic chemical compounds naturally present in honey. Polyphenols are important secondary metabolites of plants that are transferred to honey along with nectar, pollen or propolis. Several studies have confirmed the immunomodulatory role of the basic phenolic compounds present in honey. For the purpose of our research, a total of 21 samples of honey and 10 samples of alcoholic propolis extract were collected, mostly from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on the obtained results, it is clear that honey itself is a rich source of antioxidants in the diet, but that the addition of propolis significantly increases its antioxidant power. The addition of propolis to honey significantly increased the antioxidant activity of all analyzed samples. After the addition of propolis, the highest antioxidant activity was again shown by a sample of forest honey from the area of Bihać, Una-Sana Canton (Š5) and its antioxidant activity is 1143.96 µmol Fe (II) / L. The lowest antioxidant activity after the addition of propolis was shown by the meadow sample of honey from Sanski Most, Una-Sana Canton, (L21), 462.71 µmol Fe (II) / L.Based on the presented results, it is clear that after the addition of propolis in the analyzed honey samples there was a significant increase in the concentration of polyphenols by an average of 11.96%.

Chapter eleven - Analysis of volatile organic compounds in honey using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

BACKGROUNDHoney has a very important commercial value for producers as a natural product. Honey aroma is formed from the contributions of several volatile compounds, which are influenced by nectar composition, botanical origins, and location. Selected‐ion flow‐tube mass spectrometry (SIFT‐MS) is a technique that quantifies volatile organic compounds simply and rapidly, even in low concentrations. In this study, the headspace concentration of eight monofloral (chestnut, rhododendron, lavender, sage, carob, heather, citrus, and pine) and three multiflower Turkish honeys were analyzed using SIFT‐MS. Soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) was used to differentiate honey samples based on their volatiles.RESULTSThis study focused on 78 volatile compounds, which were selected from previous studies of selected honeys. Very clear distinctions were observed between all honeys. Interclass distances greater than 8 indicate that honeys were significantly different. Methanol and ethanol were abundant in the honeys. Chestnut honey collected from the Yalova region had the highest total concentration of volatiles followed by heather honey and chestnut honey collected from the Düzce region.CONCLUSIONHoneys with different botanical and geographical origins showed differences in their volatile profile based on chemometric analysis. Of the honey samples, methanol, ethanol, acetoin, ethyl acetate, and isobutanoic acid had the highest discriminating power. Methanol and ethanol, and then acetic acid, were the volatiles with the highest concentrations in most honeys. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Honey aroma is one of its most important properties and it depends on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the volatile compounds. The volatile profile of honey could reveal its botanical origin to avoid a false characterization. Thus, it is of great significance to honey authentication. This study developed and validated a headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) method for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analyses of 34 volatile components in honey. The developed method was applied to 86 honey samples from six different botanical origins, including linden honey, rape honey, jujube honey, vitex honey, lavender honey and acacia honey. The volatile fingerprints and quantitative results were simultaneously obtained by using the SCAN+SIM mass spectrometry scanning mode. The limits of quantifications (LOQs) and limits of detections (LODs) of 34 volatile compounds were in the ranges of 1-10 ng/g and 0.3-3 ng/g, respectively. And the spiked recoveries ranged between 70.6% and 126.2%, with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) not higher than 45.4%. A total of 98 volatile compounds were found with relative contents determined, and the 34 volatile compounds were determined with absolute concentrations. Based on the volatile fingerprints and the contents of volatile compounds, honey samples from six botanical origins were well classified by principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis. The HS-SPME-GC-MS method was successfully applied to achieve the volatile fingerprints of six types of honey and to absolute quantitative analyze of 34 volatile compounds with satisfying sensitivity and accuracy. Chemometrics analysis showed significant correlations between honey types and volatiles. These results reveal the characteristics of volatile compounds in six types of unifloral honey and provide some supports for honey authentication. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.