QUALITY EVALUATION OF PINE AND BLOSSOM HONEY SAMPLES PRODUCED IN TURKEY: CORRELATION BETWEEN PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

This study presents physicochemical characteristics of 39 honey samples (21 blossom and 18 pine honey) collected during two years from three different geographical regions of Türkiye that differs vastly in climatic conditions and thus plant species. The samples were analysed for δ13C/δ12C stable carbon isotope ratios of honey (δ13Ch) and its protein fraction (δ13Cp), moisture, free acidity, proline and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) content, diastase activity and sugar composition. The results showed that C4 sugar content, proline content, diastase activity, acidity values of pine honeys were higher than that of blossom honeys whereas, higher moisture and HMF content were detected for blossom honeys. Besides, geographical region mainly affected the moisture and C4 sugar contents. High correlations between HMF and δ13Ch and δ13Cp; proline and acidity values; fructose and glucose content were determined, and this indicated the robustness of the analysis and quality evaluation among different honey types and regions.

Keywords

• honey
• physicochemical characterization
• geographical variability
• carbon isotope ratio
• hydroxymethyl furfural

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK MAM

Thanks

We appreciate the financial support of TUBITAK Marmara Research Center. We also thank TUBITAK UME for performing the carbon isotope ratio analyses. We are grateful to Saadet Öztürk for her support to the manuscript.

TÜRKİYE’YE ÖZGÜ ÇAM VE ÇİÇEK BALLARININ KALİTE ÖZELLİKLERİNİN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ: FİZİKOKİMYASAL ÖZELLİKLER ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİ

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Türkiye'nin iklim koşulları ve dolayısıyla bitki türleri bakımından büyük farklılıklar gösteren üç farklı coğrafi bölgesinden iki yıl boyunca toplanan 39 bal örneğinin (21 çiçek ve 18 çam balı) fizikokimyasal özelliklerini ortaya koymaktadır. Örnekler, balın δ13C/δ12C kararlı karbon izotop oranları (δ13Ch) ve bunun protein fraksiyonu (δ13Cp), nem, serbest asitlik, prolin ve 5-hidroksimetil furfural (HMF) içeriği, diastaz aktivitesi ve şeker bileşimi açısından analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, çam ballarının C4 şeker içeriği, prolin içeriği, diastaz aktivitesi ve asitlik değerlerinin çiçek ballarından daha yüksek olduğunu, çiçek ballarında ise nem ve HMF içeriğinin daha yüksek olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca coğrafi bölge faktörü, nem ve C4 şeker içeriklerini büyük ölçüde etkilemiştir. HMF içeriği ile δ13Ch ve δ13C değerleri arasında, prolin ve asitlik değerleri arasında ve fruktoz ve glukoz içerikleri arasında yüksek korelasyonlar tespit edilmiş ve bu durum farklı bal türleri ve farklı bölgeler arasında yapılan analiz ve kalite değerlendirmelerinin geçerliliğini göstermiştir.

Keywords

• bal
• fizikokimyasal karakterizasyon
• coğrafi farklılıklar
• karbon izotop oranı
• hidroksimetil furfural

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