Differentiation of blossom and honeydew honeys using multivariate analysis on the physicochemical parameters and sugar composition

• Published in: Food chemistry 2011-05, Vol.126 (2), p.664-672
• Main Authors: Bentabol Manzanares, A., García, Z. Hernández, Galdón, B. Rodríguez, Rodríguez, E. Rodríguez, Romero, C. Díaz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blossom honey; classification; Confectionery products and chocolate industries, honey; flowers; food analysis; food composition; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; honey; honeydew; Honeydew honey; Multivariate analysis; nectar; Physicochemical and palinological parameters; physicochemical properties; Sugar composition; sugar content
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.11.003

► There are some honey samples, commonly considered as blossom honeys, that could in fact be honeydew honeys. ► So, we have determined pysicochemical parameters and sugar composition in these suspected honeydew and in blossom honeys. After application of multivariate analysis techniques, we have observed that both types of honeys were clearly different. Therefore, this is a useful tool to differentiate these types of honeys. ► The presence of honeydew honeys in the Canary Islands is reported and characterized for the first time. Multivariate analysis was applied on physicochemical parameters (moisture, water activity, electric conductivity, colour, hydroxymethyl furfural, acidity, pH, proline, diastase and invertase), sugar composition (fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, isomaltose, trehalose, turanose and melezitose) and palinological parameters determined in blossom and suspected honeydew honeys in order to differentiate them. The majority of the physicochemical, sugar composition and palinological parameters evaluated presented significant differences in the mean values between the suspected honeydew and blossom honeys, with the exception of moisture, water activity, diastase, fructose and maltose. Blossom honey samples tend to differentiate from the suspected honeydew honeys after applying factor analysis on the physicochemical parameters and sugar composition. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis allows the correct classification of all blossom honeys, and only one honeydew honey was erroneously included as blossom honey. So, the use of multivariate analysis on physicochemical parameters and sugar composition can be a useful tool to differentiate these types of honeys.