Characterization of Croatian Rape ( Brassica sp.) Honey by Pollen Spectrum, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Multielement analysis by ICP-OES

• Published in: Journal of AOAC International Vol. 100; no. 4; pp. 881 - 888
• Main Authors: Rajs, Blanka Bilić, Flanjak, Ivana, Mutić, Jelena, Vukojević, Vesna, Đurđić, Slađana, Primorac, Ljiljana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.07.2017
• Subjects: Brassica; Chemical Phenomena; Chemical properties; Croatia; Honey; Honey - analysis; Innovations; Pollen - classification; Spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1060-3271; 1944-7922
• DOI: 10.5740/jaoacint.17-0147

Rape (Brassica sp.) unifloral honey from Croatia was characterized by certain physicochemical parameters, micro- and macroelement content, and pollen spectrum, as determined in 21 honey samples. The Brassica sp. pollen type was predominant in the analyzed samples and ranged between 60 and 98%, with Trifolium spp., Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosaceae, Helianthus annuus, Salix spp., and Taraxacum officinale as the main accompanying pollen types. The electrical conductivity mean value was 0.22 ± 0.05 mS/cm and the glucose/fructose ratio mean value was 1.1 ± 0.07, whereas sucrose was absent in the samples. The most abundant macroelement was potassium (K) (268.49 mg/kg), followed by phosphorus (P) (60.23 mg/kg), calcium (Ca) (54.02 mg/kg), sodium (Na) (22.52 mg/kg), sulfur (S) (15.79 mg/kg), and magnesium (Mg) (12.58 mg/kg). Toxic elements were mainly bellow the LODs; only arsenic (As) concentration was detectable in higher amount (0.233 mg/kg), which may be related to the high arsenic concentration in the soil and groundwater of eastern Croatia. The differences between the two harvesting seasons observed in a large number of elements could be related to climatic and soil conditions and different nectar yields originating from the associated plant species.