Abstract
The economic significance of honey production is crucial; therefore, modern and efficient methods of authentication are needed. During the last decade, various data processing methods and a combination of several instrumental methods have been increasingly used in food analysis. In this study, the chemical composition of monofloral buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), clover (Trifolium repens), heather (Calluna vulgaris), linden (Tilia cordata), rapeseed (Brassica napus), willow (Salix cinerea), and polyfloral honey samples of Latvian origin were investigated using several instrumental analysis methods. The data from light stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis methods were used in combination with multivariate analysis to characterize honey samples originating from Latvia. Results were processed using the principal component analysis (PCA) to study the potential possibilities of evaluating the differences between honey of different floral origins. The results indicate the possibility of strong differentiation of heather and buckwheat honeys, and minor differentiation of linden honey from polyfloral honey types. The main indicators include depleted δ15N values for heather honey protein, elevated concentration levels of rutin for buckwheat honey, and qualitative presence of specific biomarkers within NMR for linden honey.
Highlights
Due to its sweet taste and antibacterial properties, honey is in high demand in today’s market
The chemical profile of monofloral buckwheat, clover, heather, linden, rapeseed, willow, and polyfloral honey samples of Latvian origins was assessed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), UHPLCHRMS, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods in order to find suitable indicators that could be used for the classification of botanical origin of honey
The depletion in δ15N values in honey proteins was suggested as indicator for heather honey (δ15N = −2.3 ± 1.0‰)
Summary
Due to its sweet taste and antibacterial properties, honey is in high demand in today’s market. In 2018, approximately 2000 tons of honey from 103,000 beehives were produced in Latvia. In Europe more generally, the demand for honey is higher than local producers can produce, and a large part is imported [1]. Honey is an expensive product when compared to other sweeteners. Counterfeit honey is considered to be honey that contains added amounts of other cheaper sweeteners. To protect the interests of consumers and regulate the fair price of honey in today’s market, methods of honey authenticity and quality indicators are constantly evolving. One or several modern instrumental methods are increasingly used with which quality characteristics are determined, as well as the authenticity of honey is assessed by applying chemometric methods [2]
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