Acacia Honey Research Articles

Honey quality detection based on near-infrared spectroscopy

As a natural agricultural product, honey is favored by consumers, and its variety and adulteration have a huge impact on the quality. Acacia honey, red jujube honey and rape honey were used as experimental objects, and their spectral reflectance curves were obtained through a near-infrared spectral image acquisition system. Spectral features were extracted from the preprocessed spectral reflectance curves, and a honey variety classification model based on near-infrared spectral features was established by machine learning. After statistical analysis, Principal Component Analysis Support Vector Machine after processing data through Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA-SVM) is the optimal classification model for three varieties of acacia honey, red jujube honey and rape honey, and the correct rate of honey variety classification reaches 95.83%. The spectral reflectance curve was used to establish a honey adulteration identification model based on the partial least squares-discriiminate analysis (PLS-DA), and the classification accuracy was 97.92% in the test set.

Evaluation of Wound Healing and Anti-Oxidative Activity of Acacia Honey and N-Acetylcysteine in Sprague Dawley Rats

Evaluation of Wound Healing and Anti-Oxidative Activity of Acacia Honey and N-Acetylcysteine in Sprague Dawley Rats

APPLICATION OF SPECTROSCOPY IN ANALYSIS OF SOME FLORAL HONEY SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM FOUR SOUTH ROMANIAN COUNTIES IN 2021

Honey is a concentrated aqueous solution of sugars, especially glucose and fructose, and minor amounts of dextrin, enzymes, volatile oils, organic acids, ethers, and minerals. Honey samples vary in quality according to various factors, such as climate diversity, geographical characteristics, floral supply period, and packaging and storage conditions, which can compromise the quality of the hive's final product. The assessment of honey quality is a major concern that has gained interest internationally because honey has always been subjected to various fraudulent practices which become more sophisticated in the present day. Consumers, beekeepers, and regulatory bodies are interested to have reliable analytical tools and information to allow the detection of adulterated honey. The UV-VIS spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy techniques are two analytical methods used to analyze the honey quality nowadays, with hydroxymethylfurfural being used as a standard for testing honey's freshness. The present study was conducted to assess the quality of some floral honey samples (rapeseed, acacia, and polyfloral honey) produced in Argeș, Călărași, Giurgiu, and Teleorman counties from the south of Romania. Differences between honey botanical and geographical origins were analyzed and highlighted with One-way ANOVA (p˂0.05), followed by Duncan`s Multiple Range Test. Our results indicated that honey is a valuable source of bioactive compounds.

New method for risk assessment in environmental health: The paradigm of heavy metals in honey

The release of heavy metals into the natural environment creates problems due to their persistence. They can accumulate in the food chain presenting a dangerous sign for ecosystems and human health. The metals in honey could be of agrochemical or industrial origin. Regular consumption of honey and bee products contaminated with various pollutants in high concentrations can cause serious health problems due accumulation of toxic substances in the body. In the current study, we aimed to determine the concentrations of chromium, cadmium, zinc, copper, lead and nickel in four types of honey (linden, acacia, rapeseed and polyfloral honey) and soil collected from three regions with different degrees of pollution. For the risk characterization, we used a new methodology that calculated the corrected estimated daily intake and the source hazard quotient for each metal and the adversity-specific hazard index. There was a strong influence of the degree of environmental pollution on the level of contaminants in the honey samples. In the case of a single chemical assessment, an HQ above 10 was obtained for Cd in linden, rapeseed and polyfloral honey from area 1 and an HQ above 1 was obtained for Cd in the other honey samples from the 3 areas, for Cu in all honey samples from all the 3 areas, for Pb in linden, rapeseed and polyfloral honey from area 1 and for Cr in linden honey for area 2. HIA calculated as a sum of all HQS of heavy metals in food reveals an increase and moderate risk for nephrotoxicity, bone demineralisation, cardiotoxicity, developmental toxicity, small decrease in body weight or body weight gain after consumption of honey impurified with heavy metals. A strict monitorization of heavy metals in honey samples from farmers should be done in order to protect the consumers.

Development of novel functional foods using Himalayan honey having enhanced nutraceutical and nutritional potential

This study was carried out to conduct the geographical discrimination of various types of honey, and their utilization in development of novel functional foods where in honey could be substituted in place of white sugar. Honey based apple spread and marmalade products were developed and evaluated for quality analysis. The results showed higher water activity (aw) and moisture content in Plectranthus rugosus (PR) honey based apple spread and marmalade while, TSS was highest (p < 0.05) in Multifloral (MF) honey based apple spread and marmalade. Hydroxymethylfurfural was found to be in the ranged of 6.77–7.05 (mg/kg) for honey based apple spread products and 3.09–3.46 (mg/kg) for honey based apple marmalade products. The lightness (L*) value was significantly highest in MF honey based apple spread and marmalades (p < 0.05). Redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values were significantly highest in PR honey based apple spreads and marmalades and lowest in Robinia pseudo acacia (RSA) honey based apple spread and marmalades. In general, all MF honey based apple spreads and marmalades has the highest score for overall acceptability in comparison to RSA and PR honey based apple spreads. The values of gel strength (Fe), rupture force (FR), energy of penetration (E) and adhesiveness (A) in the given spread products were in the range of 1.50–1.54 N, 1.70–1.73 N, 17.00–17.05 Ns and −1.11–−1.08 Ns, respectively. The values of gel strength (Fe), rupture force (FR), energy of penetration (E) and adhesiveness (A) in the investigated marmalade products were in the range of 1.65–1.69 N, 2.08–2.13 N, 16.05–16.10 Ns and −1.14–−1.10 Ns, respectively.

The Antioxidant Activity of Monofloral Honey and Its Awareness Among Urban Consumers in Slovakia

The main objective of this paper was to determine antioxidant activity in various types of monofloral honey produced in Slovakia and to identify consumer behaviour and awareness of biological activity of honey among urban consumers. Research is based on primary data obtained by conducting analytical research (DPPH and TPC) involving 37 samples of monofloral honey and consumer research (n =1940 Slovak honey consumers living in urban areas). Results showed that the highest antioxidant activity was detected in buckwheat honey and honeydew honey, while the lowest was indicated in acacia honey. Consumer research showed that 57.5% of respondents are aware of antioxidant activity in honey and 12,9% indicated that they are not aware of any biological activity. Urban consumers tend to consume honey few times per month or week. Higher annual consumption is typical for consumers older than 42 years. The most preferred honey is acacia honey followed by honeydew and linden honey. The majority of respondents seeks on the honey label information about honey type, producer and origin while the information about nutrition or additional information (website, social media etc.) are not so important.

Determination of volatile compound profiles and physico-chemical analysis of linden and acacia Czech honey

In this study 12 acacia and 12 linden honey samples from the Czech Republic were analyzed with a chemometric and volatile compound profiles approach. The results of electrical conductivity (17.4 and 65.1 mS/m), free acidity (12.5 and 24.5 meq/kg), diastase activity (12.6 and 18.8 DN), colour (21.5 and 47.8 mm Pfund), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (11.5 and 3.5 mg/kg), fructose (45.1 and 36.3 g/100g), fructose + glucose (F + G) (76.7 and 69.3 g/100g) content and fructose/glucose ratio (1.4 and 1.1) showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between acacia and linden honey, respectively. The physico-chemical properties and pollen profiles were in compliance with the description of European monofloral honey, except for acacia honey due to the low proportion of acacia pollen (2.8 − 10.3%). According to volatile compounds analysis by head-space solid phase micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography − mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS), nine key volatile substances were selected from more than 100 volatile compounds present in the analysed samples for evaluation as markers of botanical origin typical of the most common plant nectar sources in the Czech Republic. Further, the non-targeted analysis combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed trends and outliers within all chromatography data obtained for 24 honey samples. Cis-linalool oxide and β-linalool have been confirmed as markers of acacia honey, while carvacrol and p-cymenene were found almost exclusively in linden honey. The results demonstrated that the chemometrics with the non-targeted and targeted volatile compounds analysis approach is reliable and accurate for the classification of honey of various botanical origins.

Qualitative and Quantitative Detection of Acacia Honey Adulteration with Glucose Syrup Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Honey adulteration with cheap sweeteners such as corn syrup or invert syrup results in honey of lesser quality that can harm the objectives of both manufacturers and consumers. Therefore, there is a growing interest for the development of a fast and simple method for adulteration detection. In this work, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) was used for the detection of honey adulteration and changes in the physical and chemical properties of the prepared adulterations. Fifteen (15) acacia honey samples were adulterated with glucose syrup in a range from 10% to 90%. Raw and pre-processed NIR spectra of pure honey samples and prepared adulterations were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression, and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling. The results showed that PCA ensures distinct grouping of samples in pure honey samples, honey adulterations, and pure adulteration using NIR spectra after the Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC) method. Furthermore, PLS models developed for the prediction of the added adulterant amount, moisture content, and conductivity can be considered sufficient for screening based on RPD and RER values (1.7401 &lt; RPD &lt; 2.7601; 7.7128 &lt; RER &lt; 8.7157) (RPD of 2.7601; RER of 8.7157) and can be moderately used in practice. The R2validation of the developed ANN models was greater than 0.86 for all outputs examined. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that NIR coupled with ANN modeling can be considered an efficient tool for honey adulteration quantification.

Establishment and application of quantitative method for 22 organic acids in honey based on SPE-GC–MS

Honey, a natural healthy liquid bee product, is rich in amino acids, vitamins, and other essential nutrients. Different origin honeys also varied in organic acids. The objective of this study is to establish an efficient solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPE-GC–MS) method to eliminate interference of sugar and other impurities for accurately estimating 22 organic acids in honey by optimizing extraction, purification, derivatization, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analytical conditions. After being extracted, purified and derivatized, organic acids in honey were qualified and quantified by GC–MS. This method was evaluated experimentally, and the results showed that, within a certain concentration range, the standard curve linear relationship was satisfactory (R2 > 0.9942), and the target organic acid recovery rate was 86.74% ~ 118.68%. Besides, precision (relative standard deviation, RSD = 2.98% ~ 13.42%), detection limit (LOD = 0.002 ~ 0.2 mg kg−1), and quantification limit (LOQ = 0.008 ~ 0.5 mg kg−1) met the target requirements. Also, based on this analytical method, the organic acids in five types of honey (acacia, jujube, vitex, canola and linden honey) were estimated. Notably, they all contained 22 different kinds of organic acids, and significant differences (p < 0.05) in the organic acid content and composition among different honey varieties were observed. PCA analysis showed that the five honeys could be differentiated based on the content of 22 organic acids.

2021~2022년 아카시아 벌꿀 생산 특성과 현황 조사

Honey from the false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) accounts for more than 70% of Korean honey production. Severe decrease of the honey production have been reported in Korea and caused economic losses in the bee farms in recent years. To investigate the annual status of the honey production in 2021 and 2022, we carried out a survey targeting the bee farms in different regions with different breeding scale. The mean acacia honey production in 2021 was 7.7 kg/ colony, which was similar to the low level of 2020 (9.1 kg/colony). 18.0 kg/colony of acacia honey was produced in 2022, showing a 133.8% recovery from the production of 2021, but it was found to be below the mean production level of before 2018. The mean water content of the acacia honey in 2021 and 2022 was 25.2±5.5% and 22.6±3.4%, respectively. The low and annually fluctuated production level of the acacia honey in recent years were due to the abnormal climate change, diseases and pests. We plan to continually carry out nationwide survey to prepare the countermeasures against the factors affecting honey production and reduce the economic damage of the apiaries.

Effect of Supplementation of Acacia Honey and Pioglitazone on Blood Glucose Levels in Streptozotocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Objective: To determine the effect of combined supplementation of Pioglitazone and Acacia Honey on blood glucose levels in Streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats.&#x0D; Study Design: Laboratory-based animal study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of study: Al-Nafees Medical College, in collaboration with the National Institute of Health, Islamabad Pakistan, from Jan 2016 to Jun 2017.&#x0D; Methodology: The study was conducted on 150 male Sprague Dawley rats, divided into five groups with 30 rats. Group-I was the control Group. Groups II-V were given Streptozotocin 65 mg Streptozotocin intraperitoneally to make them diabetic. Group II was diabetic control. Group-III was given acacia honey for three weeks. Group-IV received an intraperitoneal injection of Pioglitazone (oral hypoglycemic) 15 mg/kg body weight per day plus Acacia honey, and Group-V was given Pioglitazone intraperitoneally for the same dose and duration. Fasting blood glucose levels were measured after three weeks of supplementation.&#x0D; Results: After three weeks of supplementation, the blood glucose levels were significantly (p-value &lt;0.001) lower in all Groups (Group- III: 228.33±40.60 mg/dl, Group-IV: 132.50±22.67 mg/dl and Group- V: 120.73±14.19 mg/dl) as compared to Group-II (Diabetic Controls) (290.13±52.60 mg/dl).&#x0D; Conclusion: Combined supplementation of Acacia honey and Pioglitazone reduces blood glucose levels in Streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats.

Botanical origin identification and adulteration quantification of honey based on Raman spectroscopy combined with convolutional neural network

A non-destructive and reliable spectroscopic analysis method was proposed for detecting honey fraud based on Raman spectroscopy and convolutional neural network (CNN). Acacia, litchi and linden honey were adulterated with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), rice syrup (RS), maltose syrup (MS) and commercial blended syrup (BS) at different concentrations, respectively. Spectra were collected from 60 authentic honeys and 360 adulterated honeys. Dimensionality reduction algorithms provided an overview and visualization of the spectral dataset. The strategy of this study was that the botanical origins and adulteration concentrations of unknown samples were obtained through a combination of qualitative and quantitative models, regardless of the types of honey and contaminant. The CNN classification model and chemometric algorithms achieved more than 99.76% accuracy for honey matrix identification, while the CNN quantitative models kept the coefficients of determination (R2p) and root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) above 0.95 and below 4.25, respectively. CNN achieved significantly better performance than chemometric algorithms and met the routine detection requirements of honey. The proposed method provides a promising alternative to combat honey fraud.

Comprehensive investigation of the content and the origin of matrine-type alkaloids in Chinese honeys

A HPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of four matrine-type alkaloids (matrine, oxymatrine, sophocarpine and sophoridine) in honey was established and was applied to 567 Chinese honey samples. The overall detection rate was 61.0 % and all eight Sophora viciifolia Hance honey samples were detected with the average content of 1183.3 μg/kg. Among 383 Acacia honey samples, matrine-type alkaloids have the highest detection rates in Gansu (98.8 %) and Shaanxi (86.5 %) provinces, which were significantly correlated with the distribution of S. viciifolia Hance. Moreover, matrine-type alkaloids in fruits and flowers of S. viciifolia Hance were as high as 7.06 g/kg and 2.65 g/kg respectively. The melissopalynological analysis showed that the concentration of oxymatrine was positively correlated with the pollen frequency of S. viciifolia Hance (R2 = 0.737) in representative Acacia honey samples. It can be concluded that the matrine-type alkaloids in Chinese honeys come from the nectariferous plants S. viciifolia Hance.

Identification of the maturity of acacia honey by an endogenous oligosaccharide: A preliminary study

Mature honeys that brew naturally in the hive develop distinct bioactive components, and thus carry a higher premium due to their superior quality. However, how to identify mature honeys remains difficult. Trace oligosaccharides are a likely source of biomarkers to indicate maturity. Here, we profiled trace oligosaccharides in acacia honey by GC–MS and used a metabolomics strategy to screen oligosaccharides that distinguish honeys with different maturities. Turanose content increased gradually in acacia honey samples and was closely related to the days stored in the hive (p < 0.05). To accurately quantify turanose, a UPLC-ELSD method was developed. Using the established method, honeys with ≥1.20 g/100 g of turanose could be classified as mature acacia honey. Based on the preliminary study, 500 commercial acacia honeys were analyzed, and only 77.2 % of these samples had a satisfactory level of turanose. This work offers a potential method to evaluate the quality of honeys.

Bioactivity and Chemical Characterization of Sudanese Bee Honey: Crude Acacia and Its Organic Extracts.

Honey has recently been rediscovered as an antibacterial and wound-healing natural product. The medicinal properties of honey originate from the floral source used by bees. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Sudanese crude acacia bee honey and its solvent extracts regarding its biological activity and chemical characterization. To verify the nature of the antibacterial agent(s) of honey, sample (A) Sudanese crude unprocessed acacia bee honey obtained from west of Sudan (Nyala) during October 2019 was tested in vitro for antibacterial activity against 10 standard microorganisms Enterobacter aerogenes: ATCC: 13048, Enterococcus faecalis: ATCC: 29212, Escherichia coli: ATCC: 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae: ATCC: 700603, Pseudomonas aeruginosa: ATCC: 27853, Serratia marcescens: ATCC: 8100, Staphylococcus aureus: ATCC: 29213, Staphylococcus epidermidis: ATCC: 12228, Staphylococcus Methicillin Sensitive MSSA: ATCC: 29213, and Staphylococcus Methicillin-Resistant MRSA: ATCC: 23591. Extraction of honey sample was carried out by petroleum ether followed by ethyl acetate using liquid/liquid extraction technique, using separating funnels. All organic extracts in addition to their aqueous residue were tested in vitro for antibacterial activity against the10 standard microorganisms. Ethyl acetate extract was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for chemical characterization. Sudanese crude unprocessed acacia honey showed inhibitory effects against the 10 standard microorganisms. Petroleum ether extract showed no antibacterial activity against the tested organisms, while its water residue exhibited remarkable activity. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity against the tested organisms, while its aqueous residue showed no activity. Ethyl acetate extract subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) showed twenty-one chemical constituents. The GC-MS showed twenty-one chemical compounds, and phenolic compound was the highest concentration. Ethyl acetate extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity which can be formulated as topical dressing for wounds and burns. The usage of honey in a professional context should be taken into consideration while treating burns and wounds.

Multicentre, randomised study found that honey had no pharmacological effect on nocturnal coughs and sleep quality at 1-5 years of age.

The World Health Organization has listed honey as a potential treatment for coughs, but there is little evidence to support its use for coughs associated with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). This study evaluated how effective honey was for treating nocturnal coughs and sleep difficulties. This multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study focused on patients aged 1-5 years with URTIs and coughs for up to 7 days. They were recruited from 13 general paediatric community clinics in Japan. The participants were given acacia honey or a honey-flavoured syrup placebo in the hour before they were put down to sleep on 2 consecutive nights. Their nocturnal cough and sleep difficulties were assessed on both nights using a 7-point Likert scale. The data collection for 161 patients took place between 20 November 2021 and 28 February 2022, with 78 randomly allocated to the honey group and 83 to the syrup placebo group. Both groups showed improvements on both the first and second nights, with no significant differences between the two groups. Both groups showed improvements in their nocturnal coughs and sleep difficulties during the 2-night study, but honey was no more effective than the syrup placebo.

Chemical Composition and the Anticancer, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Properties of Acacia Honey from the Hail Region: The in vitro and in silico Investigation.

In consideration of the emergence of novel drug-resistant microbial strains and the increase in the incidences of various cancers throughout the world, honey could be utilized as a great alternative source of potent bioactive compounds. In this context, this study pioneers in reporting the phytochemical profiling and the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of Acacia honey (AH) from the Hail region of Saudi Arabia, assessed using in vitro and molecular docking approaches. The phytochemical profiling based on high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HR-LCMS) revealed eight compounds and three small peptide-like proteins as the constituents. The honey samples exhibited promising antioxidant activities (DPPH-IC50 = 0.670 mg/mL; ABTS-IC50 = 1.056 mg/mL; β-carotene-IC50 > 5 mg/mL). In the well-diffusion assay, a high mean growth inhibition zone (mGIZ) was observed against Staphylococcus aureus (48.33 ± 1.53 mm), Escherichia coli ATCC 10536 (38.33 ± 1.53 mm), and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228 (39.33 ± 1.15 mm). The microdilution assay revealed that low concentrations of AH could inhibit the growth of almost all the evaluated bacterial and fungal strains, with the minimal bactericidal concentration values (MBCs) ranging from 75 mg/mL to 300 mg/mL. On the contrary, high AH concentrations were required to kill the tested microorganisms, with the minimal bactericidal concentration values (MBCs) ranging from approximately 300 mg/mL to over 600 mg/mL and the minimal fungicidal concentration values (MFCs) of approximately 600 mg/mL. The AH exhibited effective anticancer activity in a dose-dependent manner against breast (MCF-7), colon (HCT-116), and lung (A549) cancer cell lines, with the corresponding IC50 values of 5.053 μg/mL, 5.382 μg/mL, and 6.728 μg/mL, respectively. The in silico investigation revealed that the observed antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of the constituent compounds of AH are thermodynamically feasible, particularly those of the tripeptides (Asp-Trp-His and Trp-Arg-Ala) and aminocyclitol glycoside. The overall results highlighted the potential of AH as a source of bioactive compounds with significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities, which could imply further pharmacological applications of AH.

Retention index based approach for simulation of results and application for validation of compound identification in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

In this work, first and second dimensional retention index (1I and 2I) based calculation approach is established to simulate peak retention times (1tR and 2tR) of samples for the given sets of volatile compounds in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS). For the result without 1tR and 2tR data of alkane references (1tR(n) and 2tR(n)), the following steps were applied: (1) curve fitting based on van den Dool and Kratz relationship in order to simulate 1tR(n) using a training set of volatile compounds in a sample with their experimental 1tR data, and (2) simulation of 2tR(n) at different 1tR(n) to construct their isovolatility curves based on a nonlinear equation with p1-p5 parameters and a constant (within the ranges of -0.0052 to 0.0049, -0.6181 to -0.0230, -26.4775 to -0.2698, 0.0050 to 9.6259, -7.2976 to -3.9524 and 0.9157 to 4.0779, respectively). These parameters were obtained by performing curve fitting according to the experimental 2tR data of the same training set with the least square values ranging from 4.58×10−15 to 32.55. Simulation of 1tR and 2tR of target analytes (1tR,sim and 2tR,sim) with known 1I and 2I were performed using 1tR(n) and the simulated isovolatility curves. All the calculations and curve fittings were carried out by using Solver in Microsoft Excel. The approach was applied to simulate results for 542 compounds in several samples including analysis of saffron (Crocus sativas L.), Boswellia papyrifera, acacia honey and incense powder/smoke, perfume and cannabis either reported from literature or from the experiments in this work using different experimental approaches. These were compared with the experimental data showing correlation with the R2 ranges of 0.98–1.00 and 0.80–0.97 for 1tR and 2tR, respectively. This approach was then applied to propose 6 compounds which may be incorrectly identified based on the differences of >2 times of the standard deviations between 2tR,sim and the experimental 2tR in both residue and leave-one-out analyses.

Glucose Oxidase and Catalase Activities in Honey Samples from the Southwestern Region of Saudi Arabia

The activity of honey enzymes are affected by floral and geographical origins, climate conditions, honeybee species, health and nutrition. This article investigated the effect of floral and geographical origins on the activity of glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase (CAT) enzymes in honey samples from the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the moisture, total sugars, pH and conductivity were measured as quality parameters. The floral origin of the honey samples was determined microscopically while the quality parameters were measured according to the methods of international honey commission. The activity of the honey enzyme was determined following the instructions of the Megazyme International kits. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by the statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, v.20). The GOx activity of the Acacia, Ziziphus and polyfloral honey samples of the Asir region were (5.19 ± 2.33 U/g), (4.01 ± 1.17 U/g) and (5.69 ± 1.67 U/g), respectively. The Acacia, Ziziphus and polyfloral honey samples from the Jazan region had GOx activities of (6.85 ± 0.47 U/g), (10.48 ± 9.22 U/g) and (5.31 ± 2.7 U/g), respectively. The geographical origin significantly affected the GOx activity of Ziziphus honey (p-value = 0.005) and the GOx activity of the Ziziphus honey was significantly more than that of the polyfloral honey of the Jazan region (p-value = 0.009). With regard to the CAT activity in Asir region honey samples, the mean values of the Acacia, Ziziphus and polyfloral honeys were (2.89 ± 1.08 U/g), (3.58 ± 1.59 U/g) and (2.84 ± 1.24 U/g), respectively. The mean values of the CAT activity in the Jazan honey samples were Acacia (4.35 ± 1.01 U/g), Ziziphus (3.94 ± 0.04 U/g) and polyfloral (3.43 ± 0.67 U/g). The geographical origin significantly affected the CAT activity in Acacia honey (p-value = 0.014). The geographical and floral origins had significant effects on the activity of the honey GOx and CAT enzymes.

Kaempferol-3-O-galactoside as a marker for authenticating Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. monofloral honey

Honey produced from Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. (L. bicolor) is highly valued and relatively rare, leading to adulterated or ersatz substitutes in the marketplace, with no reliable authentication methods available for enforcement of regulations. Here, we characterize the physicochemical parameters (water content, pH, sugar content, amylase activity, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content) in L. bicolor honey and palynological characteristics of L. bicolor pollen as reference for assessment of quality and monoflorality. Mass spectrometry with Orthogonal Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis of chemical constituent data from L. bicolor, chaste, acacia, jujube, and linden honeys, all commonly sold in China, identified kaempferol-3-O-galactoside as a candidate chemical marker of L. bicolor honey. We validated this screening method and quantified kaempferol-3-O-galactoside in L. bicolor, but not other honeys, at concentrations between 90.2 and 430.1 µg/kg, with high sensitivity (LOD = 0.002 mg/kg), linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99), and recovery (90.2%–110.6%), supporting its use in authenticating L. bicolor honey.