Vedecký časopis - archív
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
Online First Articles
Ksentini, H. – Meddad-Hamza, A. – Hamel, T. – Bellili, A. – Babali, B. – Boutabia, L. – Salvo-Tierra, Á. E. – Picornell, A.
Assessment of the quality of honey of various botanical and geographical origins based on the pollen spectrum and physico-chemical properties
Hana Ksentini, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Badji Mokhtar University, BP 12 Sidi Amar, 23000 Annaba, Algeria. E-mail: ksentini_hana@yahoo.fr
Original article
Received 11 February 2024; 1st revised 13 April 2024; 2nd revised 25 May 2024; accepted
Súhrn: The authenticity of honey presents significant challenges to food quality control, necessitating the continuous modernization and enhancement of analytical methodologies. This study aims to characterize 24 honey samples collected from eight regions in northeastern Algeria by analyzing their physicochemical parameters and pollen profiles. The results revealed significant pollen diversity across all samples, predominantly monofloral honeys, particularly eucalyptus honey, along with varieties such as Hedysarum coronarium L., Arbutus unedo L., Lavandula stoechas L., Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam., and Citrus. Multifloral honeys exhibited diverse taxa including Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh., Hedysarum coronarium L., Echium plantagineum L., Lavandula stoechas L., Raphanus raphanistrum L., and Malva sylvestris L., common to northeastern Algeria's ecosystems. Most honey samples met international physicochemical standards, indicating high quality. However, honey quality is predominantly influenced by its botanical origin, as demonstrated by principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and co-inertia analysis, which grouped the samples into seven distinct physicochemical units. Precise characterization is essential for enhancing local honey production by elucidating the complex relationships between pollen composition, botanical origin, and physicochemical properties.
Kľúčové slová: honey; melissopalynology; physicochemical properties; quality; geographical provenance; northeastern Algeria