Floral nectar phenolics as biochemical markers for the botanical origin of heather honey

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1996

Authors

Ferreres, F (Author) Other; Paula B Andrade (Author) FFUP; Gil, MI (Author) Other; Tomas Barberan, FA (Author) Other

Journal

Title: European Food Research and Technology

Vol. 202

Pages: 40-44

ISSN: 1438-2377

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

Scopus - 10 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00J-XNG

Abstract (EN): In order to find out biochemical markers for the botanical origin of heather (Erica) honey, the phenolic metabolites present in heather floral nectar, collected from the honey-stomach of bees gathering nectar from these flowers, were analysed. The flavonoid fraction of nectar contained four main flavonoids. Two of them were quercetin and kaempferol 3-rhamnosides, and the other two were tentatively identified as myricetin 3¿-methyl ether and isorhamnetin 3-rhamnosides. Since the natural glycosides are hydrolysed by bee enzymes to render the corresponding aglycones, which are the metabolites detected in honey, acid hydrolysis of the nectar glycosides was achieved. The aglycones quercetin, myricetin 3¿-methyl ether, kaempferol and isorhamnetin were identified, as well as the gallic acid derivative ellagic acid. The analysis of Portuguese heather honey samples showed that ellagic acid was present in all the samples in significant amounts ranging between 100 ¿g and 600 ¿g per 100 g honey. The other nectar-derived flavonoids were also present, although some of them in very variable amounts. Ellagic acid and myricetin 3¿-methyl ether, which have not been detected in any of the monofloral honey samples investigated so far, with the only exception being a French honey sample of the botanically related Calluna (Ericaceae) which also contained ellagic acid, seem to be the most useful potential markers for the floral origin of heather honey. However, more detailed and extensive investigations are needed to prove the utility of these markers. © Springer-Verlag 1996.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific