Changes in the Free Amino Acid Contents of Honeys During Storage at Ambient Temperature

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2006-11, Vol.54 (24), p.9099-9104
• Main Authors: Iglesias, M. Teresa, Martín-Álvarez, Pedro J, Polo, M. Carmen, de Lorenzo, Cristina, González, Montserrat, Pueyo, Encarnación
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acids - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Confectionery products and chocolate industries, honey; Food Analysis; Food industries; Food Preservation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Honey - analysis; Humans; Temperature
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf061712x

This study was carried out to establish the changes in the free amino acid contents of floral honeys, honeydew honeys, and blend honeys during storage at room temperature and to test the capacity of the amino acids to distinguish the origin of the honeys after storage. For this purpose, 54 artisanal honeys (39 floral, 5 honeydew, and 10 blend) were studied. Samples were taken from recently collected honeys and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 20, and 24 months after harvesting. The contents of most of the free amino acids were found to decrease with storage time, with the greatest reduction observed in the first 9 months. The contents of the amino acids aspartic acid, β-alanine, and proline increased in the first few months after storage, reaching maximum values at 6 months, suggesting the possible existence of enzymatic activities. The application of stepwise discriminant analysis to the free amino acid content data demonstrated that the contents of the amino acids valine, β-alanine, γ-aminobutyric acid, serine, isoleucine, α-alanine, ornithine, and glutamine correctly assigned 87% of honeys to their group of origin:  floral, honeydew, or blend. Keywords: Floral honey; honedew honey; blend honey; storage; amino acids