Application of a statistical approach to the classification of honey by geographic origin

Abstract

Forty eight honeys from the La Rioja region of Spain were analysed to establish their quality. Fourteen legally required parameters of quality control were measured. Samples were obtained from two geographic areas of production : Valley and Sierra. These areas present different agroclimatic conditions and, thus, different flora. Classification of these honeys according to their geographic origin was achieved by applying multivariate statistical analysis to the chemical and physical data. Acidity (free acidity and pH), mineral content (electrical conductivity and ash) and factors related to degree of freshness (hydroxymethylfurfural and diastatic activity), were found to be the most important features for classification. Determination of the geographic origin of a La Rioja honey (Valley or Sierra) was possible with 83% accuracy using only these legally required quality control parameters; pollen studies were not necessary to achieve this objective.

Honey as a bioindicator of arsenic contamination due to volcanic and mining activities in Chile

“…This same result can be observed in Figure 4 for i-As concentrations in the honey. These results confirm, as suggested by other authors (Sanz et al, 1995;Latorre et al, 1999;González Paramás et al, 2000;Golob et al, 2005;Pisani et al, 2008), that honey is a good biomarker of anthropogenic or natural pollution.…”

“…Several studies suggest that honey can be used as a bioindicator for the environmental pollution caused by anthropogenic activities (Sanz et al, 1995;Latorre et al, 1999;González Paramás et al, 2000;Golob et al, 2005;Pisani et al, 2008). However, studies using honey as a bioindicator of environmental pollution that relate anthropogenic activities and volcanic eruptions to the concentration of As have not been completed thus far.…”

The Determination Technique of the Geographic Origin of Welsh Onions by Mineral Composition and Perspectives for the Future

“…Scientific techniques for determining the geographic origin of agricultural products Reports on scientific techniques for determining the geographic origin of agricultural products have been increasing since the 1980s. The initial focus was on processed agricultural products such as wine 10,13,16,18 , honey 22 , teas 12,17 , olive oil 3 , and orange juice 19 , while later studies examined fresh products such as potatoes 1 23 , chiefly because worldwide trade in fresh agricultural products has increased year after year and the law now enforces labeling of their geographic origin. The techniques reported had been based primarily on the composition of organic constituents 19,22 , inorganic elements 1,2,4-6,12-14,21 and isotope ratios 3,7,18,20 or their combination 10 .…”

Chemical fingerprinting of the volatile fraction of species-specific floral Australian honeys

“…(Krauze and Zalewski, 1991;Crecente and Latorre, 1993;Zalewski, 1991/2;Sanz et al, 1995), minerals (Sauri Duch and Hernandez Chavez, 1994;Lopez et al, 1996;Latorre et al, 2000), and carbohydrates (Goodall et al, 1995) have all concentiated more on the geographical rather than botanical sourcing of honey.…”

“…1981), enzyme activity, acidity, HMF etc. (Krauze and Zalewski, 1991;Crecente and Latorre, 1993;Zalewski, 1991/2;Sanz et al, 1995), minerals (Sauri Duch and Hernandez Chavez, 1994;Latorre et al, 2000), and carbohydrates (Goodall et al, 1995) have concentrated more on the geographical sourcing of honey. Additionally, this type of statistical analysis has been used to study honey quality confrol parameters (Gomez et al, 1989;Lopez et al, 1996;Paramas et al, 2000).…”