HIGHLIGHTING THE MELISSOPALYNOLOGICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AYDER-RİZE (TURKEY)

Abstract

The aim of this research is characterizing the honey produced in Ayder/Rize-Turkey. In this context 20 honey samples were collected from Ayder in 2018. The melissopalynological and physicochemical analysis of the honey samples were done by this research. According to the melissopalynological analysis 40 taxa belong to the 22 plant families were identified as botanical sources of the investigated honey samples. Nine of the investigated samples (sample no 1-9) were evaluated as monofloral and the others as multifloral honeys. As a result of melissopalynological analysis, while pollen belong to the Castanea sativa taxon were found in dominant ratios in some of the investigated samples, the pollen belongs to the Castanea sativa, Trifolium repens, Lotus corniculatus, Coronilla orientalis taxa were found as secondary in some other honey samples. Total pollen number in 10 gram honey (TPN 10) values of the samples were found between 7 732 and 167 147 by melissopalynological analysis. The first step of the physicochemical analsyis was the moisture analysis and the values found between 15,8% and 18,8% (mean value:7,01±0,98 %). The fructose/glucose analysis were done by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and the values for fructose found as: 26,43-35,57g/100g (mean: 31,39±2,41 g/100g), glucose values as; 20,11-30,58 g/100g (mean: 26,83±2,16 g/100g). Also fructose/glucose ratio was found as 1,03-1,34 (mean: 1,17±0,10). Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and total phenolic acids analysis were done also by HPLC. The results for HMF analysis is between 0,7- 11,31 ppm (mean: 3,8±2,6 ppm ), for total phenolic acids the value are found between 88,92±0,04 mgGAE/kg - 196,17±0,10 mgGAE/kg (mean: 121,98±0,1 mgGAE/kg). As a step of chemical analysis; the volatile compounds of the honey samples were determined by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The compounds belong to the aldehydes, aliphatic acids and esters, alcohols, hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids and their esters, ketones, terpenes, fatty acids and their esters groups were found as a result of GC-MS analysis. The compounds belong to the carboxylic acids and their esters, fatty acids and their esters identified in higher ratios compare to the other compounds. Since, there is little detailed published information about the quality and properties of Ayder-Rize honey, the current study aims to characterize the honey belong to the this region.