Abstract
In this study the characterization of a total of 60 honey samples with Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) collected over three harvests (2009–2011, inclusive), from the Northeast of Portugal was carried out based on the presence of pollen, physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. All samples were found to meet the European Legislation, but some didn’t meet the requirements of the PDO specifications. Concerning the floral origin of honey, our results showed the prevalence of rosemary (Lavandula pedunculata) pollen. The microbiological quality of all the analyzed samples was satisfactory, since fecal coliforms, sulfite-reducing clostridia and Salmonella were absent, and molds and yeasts were detected in low counts. Significant differences between the results were studied using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey’s HSD test. The samples were submitted to discriminant function analysis, in order to determine which variables differentiate between two or more naturally occurring groups (Forward Stepwise Analysis). The variables selected were in this order: diastase activity, pH, reducing sugars, free acidity and HMF. The pollen spectrum has perfect discriminatory power. This is the first study in which a honey with PDO was tested, in order to assess its compliance with the PDO book of specifications.
Highlights
According to the European Union Legislation [1], the Codex Alimentarius [2] and the PortugueseLaw Decree 214/2003 honey is the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from the nectar of plants, secretions of living parts of plants, or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect, transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in the honeycomb to ripen and mature
Our results showed that 55% of the samples harvested in 2009 had more than 35% of Lavandula pedunculata, being thereby denominated “rosemary honey”, in agreement with the book of specifications
Gas production is used as an indication of ability to ferment lactose from Lauryl Tryptose (LST) Broth; gas production from Brilliant Green Lactose Bile (BGLB) broth is considered confirmation of coliform presence; gas production at 45 °C from E. coli broth is used as confirmation of fecal coliform presence; and appearance of typical nucleated, dark-centred colonies with or without metallic sheen when positive EC broths are streaked onto Eosin methylene blue (L-EMB) Agar are indicative of
Summary
According to the European Union Legislation [1], the Codex Alimentarius [2] and the Portuguese. It is important to mention that honey’s composition depends on the floral origin, the climate, environmental and seasonal conditions, as well as on its handling and processing [5] It has been used in ethno-medicine since the early humans, and in more recent times it is used in the treatment of burns, gastrointestinal disorders, asthma, infected and chronic wounds. The honeys bearing the PDO logo have acquired a high added value, both within national and international level In this context, it is mandatory to verify its compliance with the quality specifications of the European Union. First of all, it aimed to characterize, in respect to floral origin, physicochemical parameters, microbiological safety and commercial quality, honey with PDO from the “Terra Quente” and from three different harvests: June of 2009, 2010 and 2011. Contribute to the introduction in the “book of specifications” of some parameters/analyses that are currently neglected: pH and microbiological indicators of safety and quality
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