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

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 1996

Autores

Ferreres, F (Autor) Outra; Paula B Andrade (Autor) FFUP; Gil, MI (Autor) Outra; Tomas Barberan, FA (Autor) Outra

Revista

Título: European Food Research and Technology

Vol. 202

Páginas: 40-44

ISSN: 1438-2377

Editora: Springer Nature

Indexação

Scopus - 10 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: 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.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica