Abstract
The GC and GC/MS analyses of the solvent organic extractive from the stomach of the bees, having collected Mentha spp. nectar, revealed the presence of methyl syringate (6.6%), terpendiol I (5.0%) and vomifoliol (3.0%) that can be attributed to the plant origin. Other major compounds from the bee-stomach were related to the composition of cuticular waxes and less to pheromones. Organic extractives from Mentha spp. honey were obtained by solvent-free headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major honey headspace compounds were hotrienol (31.1%–38.5%), 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (0.5–6.0%), cis- and trans-linalool oxides (0.9–2.8%), linalool (1.0–3.1%) and neroloxide (0.9–1.9%). Methyl syringate was the most abundant compound (38.3-56.2%) in the honey solvent extractives followed by vomifoliol (7.0–26.6%). Comparison of the honey organic extractives with the corresponding bee-stomach extractive indicated that methyl syringate and vomofoliol were transferred to the honey while terpendiol I was partially transformed to hotrienol in ripened honey.
Highlights
The chemical composition of the organic extractives is of great interest for characterizing the floral and/or geographical origin of honeys
Comparison of the honey organic extractives with the corresponding bee-stomach extractive indicated that methyl syringate and vomofoliol were transferred to the honey while terpendiol I was partially transformed to hotrienol in ripened honey
The gathered nectar is stocked in the bee-stomach, which can contain up to 60 μL of liquid, and the honey sacs containing Mentha spp. pollen grains were investigated
Summary
The chemical composition of the organic extractives is of great interest for characterizing the floral and/or geographical origin of honeys. In recent years a range of extractable natural organic substances that appear characteristic to be of the plant source have been identified as phytochemicals in different honeys [1,2]. The main components in source specific honey volatiles belong, in general, to three principal categories: terpenes, norisoprenoids, and benzene derivatives [1,2]. Some of these substances have been described as characteristics of the floral source, and other compounds, like some alcohols, branched aldehydes, and furan derivatives, may be related to the microbial purity of honey processing and storage conditions. Isolated organic extractives were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC and GC/MS)
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