Abstract
The aim of this paper was to study the select physicochemical parameters of 58 honey samples of 4 different botanical origins (buckwheat, linden, rape and acacia) using multivariate methods in order to classify honeys according to the botanical origin. Five standard physicochemical parameters were determined according to the international legislation: water content, electrical conductivity, total ash content, free acidity and pH. The results obtained were mostly in agreement with international regulations. Then, the results obtained were analysed by principal components analysis and cluster analysis. The chemometric analysis of results of determinations of the physicochemical parameters demonstrated such markers as electrical conductivity and ash content (i.e. parameters linked with minerals content) to be the most reliable markers in determining the botanical origin of linden and buckwheat honeys. Unfortunately, they appear insufficient for reliable identification of acacia and rapeseed honeys.
Highlights
Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts or excretion 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 honeycombs to ripen and mature (Council EU, 2001)
The aim of this paper was to study the select physicochemical parameters of 58 honey samples of 4 different botanical origins using multivariate methods in order to classify honeys according to the botanical origin
The chemometric analysis of results of determinations of the physicochemical parameters demonstrated such markers as electrical conductivity and ash content to be the most reliable markers in determining the botanical origin of linden and buckwheat honeys
Summary
Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts or excretion 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 honeycombs to ripen and mature (Council EU, 2001). One of the first methods used to determine the botanical and geographical origin of honeys was pollen analysis (El Sohaimy et al, 2015). This technique is time consuming and requires special personnel skill (Jandricet al., 2015; Popek et al, 2017; Wang and Qing, 2011). For this reason, attempts are undertaken to introduce other analytical methods into the identification process of the origin of honeybee honeys. To enable evaluation of honey authenticity, works are in progress to develop practical alternative methods and markers for determination of the botanical and geographical origin of this product
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