Total Phenolic Acid and Total Flavonoid Content of Turkish Pine Honeydew Honey

Abstract

From September to November during the years between 2004 and 2006, 78 honey samples were collected from ten areas of the Muğla city in western Turkey, Merkez, Milas, Ortaca, Köyceğiz, Marmaris, Fethiye, Yatağan, Bodrum, Ula and Datça where pine honey beekeeping is practiced extensively. Using light microscopy the Number of Honeydew Elements (NHE) and the Number of Total Pollen (NTP) were determined and samples with an NHE / NTP ratio above 4.5 were accepted as high density, superior quality pine honeydew honey. Of the 78, honeys collected, 50 were found to be pine honeydew honeys and were analysed for total phenolic and total favonoids. The mean total phenolic acids of the 50 pine honeys were found to be 155.55 mg GAE/kg, with a minimum of 35.36 mg GAE/kg, and a maximum of 365.94, while the mean total flavonoid content was found to be 22.80 mg QE/kg, with a minimum of 4.80 mg QE/ kg, and a maximum of 54.78 mg QE/kg.