Screening of Natural Organic Volatiles from Prunus mahaleb L. Honey: Coumarin and Vomifoliol as Nonspecific Biomarkers

Abstract

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME; PDMS/DVB fibre) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE; solvent A: pentane and diethyl ether (1:2 v/v), solvent B: dichloromethane) followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC, GC-MS) were used for the analysis of Prunus mahaleb L. honey samples. Screening was focused toward chemical composition of natural organic volatiles to determine if it is useful as a method of determining honey-sourcing. A total of 34 compounds were identified in the headspace and 49 in the extracts that included terpenes, norisoprenoids and benzene derivatives, followed by minor percentages of aliphatic compounds and furan derivatives. High vomifoliol percentages (10.7%–24.2%) in both extracts (dominant in solvent B) and coumarin (0.3%–2.4%) from the extracts (more abundant in solvent A) and headspace (0.9%–1.8%) were considered characteristic for P. mahaleb honey and highlighted as potential nonspecific biomarkers of the honey’s botanical origin. In addition, comparison with P. mahaleb flowers, leaves, bark and wood volatiles from our previous research revealed common compounds among norisoprenoids and benzene derivatives.

Characterization of the volatile profile of unifloral honey from Kashmir Valley of India by using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

“…These results were in agreement with the studies conducted by Jerkovic et al [11] and Lusic et al [34] which found hexadecanoic acid in the unifloral honeys of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), chestnut (C. sativa L.) and fir honeydew honey (Abies alba), respectively. Hexadecanoic acid has been reported in apple blossom (M. domestica) as well as in Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb), thus revealing similarity of both volatile profiles [23,40]. Stearic acid has been reported in Malaysian Tualang honeys (Koompassia excelsa)) by Syazana et al [41].…”

Prunus mahaleb L. fruit extracts: a novel source for natural food pigments

“…Moreover, in the same document, EFSA stated that exposure to coumarin exceeding the TDI by threefold for 1-2 weeks would not raise any safety concerns. The presence of coumarin in the leaves, fruits and seeds of P. mahaleb is known from the literature [12,51,52]. Because of the TDI set by EFSA, we quantified coumarin in mfce.…”

GC-MS Fingerprints and Other Physico-chemical Characteristics of Rare Unifloral Prunus cerasus L. Honey

“…Benzaldehyde and lilac aldehydes are often found in various honey types. The latter were reported to occur abundantly and to be characteristic compounds of New Zealand nodding thistle honey [11], Greek citrus honey [12] and Croatian Prunus mahaleb L. honey [7]. Benzaldehyde is known to be responsible for the characteristic smell of bitter almonds where it is generated as a product of amygdalin hydrolysis [13] and plants from the genus Prunus are known to commonly contain cyanogenic glycosides, such as amygdalin.…”