The Botanic, physicochemical, phenolic and antioxidant properties of Muş Basin honeys

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 175 - 192, 31.12.2025

Sevgi Kolaylı , Erol Tunca , Aslı Özkök

https://doi.org/10.35206/jan.1689764

Abstract

: Muş is a prominent honey-producing area located in the central part of the Eastern Anatolia region, bordered by eight different provinces. In this study, the characteristic properties of honey from the Muş region, selected as the pilot area, were examined. The characteristics of the honey were determined based on its botanical origin, physicochemical properties, phenolic compound profile, and antioxidant potential. The honeys are monofloral or heterofloral blossom honeys, rich in Astragalus spp. and clover (Trifolium spp.) flowers, with smaller contributions from Lotus spp., Liliaceae, Rosaceae, Plantago spp., Poaceae, Elymus spp., Sanguisorba spp., Berberidaceae, Centaurea spp., Cistaceae, Rumex spp., Papaveraceae, and Asteraceae flowers. According to the Hunter Lab color scale, the honeys were found to have light, greenish, and yellowish tones. The average electrical conductivity (EC) was 0.34± 0.05mS/cm, indicating a very low moisture content of 15.33±0.75%. The honeys, which exhibited low HMF and high diastase activity, had an average proline content of 543±138 mg/kg. The ratio of fructose to glucose was found to be 1.23 in the honeys with low sucrose and maltose content. The average of total phenolic content (TFC) was to be 20.29± 2.90 mg GAE/100g, with notable antioxidant activity. The honeys were rich in gallic acid, chrysin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin. These analyses demonstrate that the Muş region honeys possess rich floral characteristics especially, Astragalus spp. and Trifolium spp, typical of light-colored blossom honeys in the Eastern Anatolia region. This study provides valuable data for elucidating the geographic characteristics of Muş region honeys.

Keywords

Honey , antioxidant , Astragalus spp , Trifolium spp , East Anatolia

The Botanic, physicochemical, phenolic and antioxidant properties of Muş Basin honeys

Abstract

Muş is a prominent honey-producing area located in the central part of the Eastern Anatolia region, bordered by eight different provinces. In this study, the characteristic properties of honey from the Muş region, selected as the pilot area, were examined. The characteristics of the honey were determined based on its botanical origin, physicochemical properties, phenolic compound profile, and antioxidant potential. The honeys are monofloral or heterofloral blossom honeys, rich in Astragalus spp. and clover (Trifolium spp.) flowers, with smaller contributions from Lotus spp., Liliaceae, Rosaceae, Plantago spp., Poaceae, Elymus spp., Sanguisorba spp., Berberidaceae, Centaurea spp., Cistaceae, Rumex spp., Papaveraceae, and Asteraceae flowers. According to the Hunter Lab color scale, the honeys were found to have light, greenish, and yellowish tones. The average electrical conductivity (EC) was 0.34± 0.05mS/cm, indicating a very low moisture content of 15.33±0.75%. The honeys, which exhibited low HMF and high diastase activity, had an average proline content of 543±138 mg/kg. The ratio of fructose to glucose was found to be 1.23 in the honeys with low sucrose and maltose content. The average of total phenolic content (TFC) was to be 20.29± 2.90 mg GAE/100g, with notable antioxidant activity. The honeys were rich in gallic acid, chrysin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin. These analyses demonstrate that the Muş region honeys possess rich floral characteristics especially, Astragalus spp. and Trifolium spp, typical of light-colored blossom honeys in the Eastern Anatolia region. This study provides valuable data for elucidating the geographic characteristics of Muş region honeys.

Keywords

Honey , antioxidant , Astragalus spp , Trifolium spp , East Anatolia , phenolic

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