EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION IN VARIETAL HONEYS

Abstract

A total of fourteen honey samples, including monofloral, polyfloral, and honeydew honeys, collected from Bulgaria, Turkiye, and Morocco were analyzed with the aim to investigate the influence of floral origin on the biological properties of honey.
The antioxidant activities of the samples were estimated using the DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC methods, as well as analyzing their phytochemical composition by measuring the total phenolic content through the Folin-Ciocalteu method and individual polyphenols by HPLC.
The results demonstrated that honeydew honey exhibited the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity among all the samples tested. It was followed by linden and forest honeys, which also demonstrated significant biological activity. In contrast, acacia and ziziphus honeys displayed the lowest levels of phenolic content and antioxidant properties among the samples.
Our results indicated that while the botanical origin of honey had a significant influence on its biological properties, other factors such as geographical location also played a role in determining its quality. The observed variations among the honey samples from the same botanical origin could be attributed to factors such as specific landscape conditions, including whether the honey was sourced from an urban or rural area, the timing of harvest, beekeeping practices, and storage conditions.