Authors: Angeliki Tsigouri¹; Maria Passaloglou-Katrali²; Olga Sabatakou¹

Source: Grana, Volume 43, Number 2, June 2004 , pp. 122-128(7)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

Abstract:

Three hundred and twenty-nine Greek honey samples of different botanical and geographical origin were collected and examined by organoleptic evaluation, melissopalynological analysis, measurement of electrical conductivity and colour. The results showed that 208 samples were unifloral with 178 of them representing the main types of unifloral honey produced in Greece; that is fir, pine, chestnut, cotton, orange and thyme honey. All honeys had the sensory characteristics typical of their origin and complied with the electrical conductivity standards set by Council Directive 2001/110/EC.

Fir and pine honeydew honey had a low honeydew element/pollen (HDE/P) ratio and belonged to Maurizio's Classes II or III. The pollen types identified in these honeys ranged from 11 to 45%. Chestnut nectar honey contained >90% chestnut pollen, had a total number of plant elements of >245,000/10 g, and low pollen diversity. Cotton honey contained 1.2 to 16.5% cotton pollen, belonged to Maurizio's Class II, and had 22 pollen types, with Castanea sativa L. present in all samples. Orange honey contained 2.9 to 26.5% Citrus spp. pollen, belonged to Maurizio's Class II, and was characterized by the presence of Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Olea europea L., Quercus coccifera L. and Rosaceae. In thyme honeys Thymus capitatus Hoffm. & Link. pollen was secondary or predominant ranging from 18.3 to 69.3%. These honeys belonged to Maurizio's Classes I or II and contained greater than 30 pollen types. Other Lamiaceae, Hypericum spp., Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, and Cistus spp. pollen types appeared in the greatest number of thyme samples.

Articles that cite this article?

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00173130310017643

Affiliations: 1: Institute of Veterinary Research of Athens National Agricultural Research Foundation Neapoleos 25, Ag. Paraskevi 153 10 Athens 2: Trion Ierarchon 7, GR-118 51 Thisseio Athens Greece

Publication date: 2004-06-01

More about this publication?

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Botany
• By this author: Angeliki Tsigouri ;  Maria Passaloglou-Katrali ;  Olga Sabatakou

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers